Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy will meet with major U.S. airlines on Wednesday in a renewed push to address persistent disruptions at Newark Liberty International Airport, as staffing shortages and aging infrastructure continue to hamper operations.
The planned meeting follows days of widespread flight delays and cancellations at Newark, where technical failures and an ongoing shortage of air traffic controllers have created gridlock at one of the nation’s busiest hubs.
United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby sought to reassure travelers on Tuesday, saying flights remain safe despite recent radar outages and staffing gaps. “It is safe across the country, and the backup procedures keep it safe,” Kirby said.
Average delays at Newark on Monday exceeded 90 minutes—not due to technical failure this time, but because several air traffic controllers remain on trauma leave following a radar and communication outage on April 28. The FAA previously imposed traffic restrictions at Newark in response to these staffing shortfalls, and those limits—combined with runway construction—are contributing to continued operational disruptions.
The April outage briefly disabled radar and communication systems, leaving controllers unable to track or communicate with aircraft. FAA spokesperson Kristen Alsop confirmed that affected controllers are on a 45-day leave protocol, worsening an already strained workforce.
The issue took center stage during Monday night’s New Jersey gubernatorial debate. Rep. Josh Gottheimer called for immediate federal intervention, including deploying military air traffic controllers and upgrading outdated systems. “The technology is a disaster — it’s 1973 tech,” he said. “We need to get dollars in now.”
Former State Senate President Steve Sweeney added, “Our Congress needs to hold hearings to get to the bottom of this. It’s a federal problem affecting a lot of New Jerseyans.”
New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy, speaking Tuesday, called the delays “unacceptable” and confirmed his administration is working closely with the Trump administration, the Port Authority, and airline executives. “It’s not for lack of access — but this has got to get fixed,” Murphy said.
Secretary Duffy said outdated infrastructure is being addressed with new fiber optic lines and that a recent software update prevented a third radar failure over the weekend. However, the staffing shortages are expected to persist longer.
In response, United Airlines is scaling back its Newark flight schedule to match FAA capacity limits. “We’re adjusting our schedule to what the FAA says the airport can handle,” Kirby said. “Doing so eliminates delays for customers.”
The FAA and Port Authority have not given a timeline for when normal operations might resume.
