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Air traffic controller shortage leads to delays at Newark ahead of busy holiday travel

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Travelers flying in and out of Newark Liberty International Airport faced delays on Monday and Tuesday due to the ongoing issue of air traffic controller shortages.

In addition to the delays, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which oversees operations at the Newark Airport has issued a Fourth of July travel advisory and is expecting an uptick in travelers through the airport over the next few days.

Here is everything you need to know about these ongoing situations at the Newark Airport.

Air traffic controller shortages bring airport delays

Although operations were back to normal as of 9 a.m. Wednesday morning, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) did slow flights in and out of the Newark Airport leading to delays on Monday and Tuesday.

The reason behind the delays is the ongoing issue of air traffic controller staffing, specifically at the New York Terminal Radar Approach Control (N90), which handles the “busy and complex” New York-area airspace, according to a statement from the FAA.

It is unclear whether the staffing issues will continue to impact operations at the airport throughout the Fourth of July travel period.

“Air traffic controller shortages are and have been a major challenge for the federal government, who must address this issue vigorously,” said a Port Authority spokesperson in a statement.

In an effort to combat the staffing issues, the FAA is moving management of the airspace around Newark from N90 to the Philadelphia Air Traffic Control Tower/TRACON starting on July 28.

According to the FAA, trainees at the Philadelphia tower “have a history of succeeding” and the staffing levels at N90 have long been an outlier in terms of the national average, regardless of numerous incentives and hiring campaigns over the years.

“The facility is currently staffed at 59% of the target level, and trainees who go to N90 have only a 25% training success rate, the lowest of any facility in the nation,” said the FAA. “This airspace transfer will improve efficiency for the millions of passengers who travel through the New York/New Jersey Metropolitan Area, and it will enable the FAA to train more air traffic controllers and speed up the implementation of modernization programs.”

Fourth of July travel advisory

On top of delays, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey has issued a travel advisory for the Fourth of July travel period which spans from Wednesday, July 3 through Sunday, July 7.

Travelers are encouraged to grant themselves extra travel time during those days as more than 5.5 million people are expected to use the Port Authority’s airports, bridges and tunnels.

According to Port Authority, over 2.1 million passengers are expected to travel through J.F.K International, Newark Liberty International, LaGuardia and New York Stewart International airports during the five-day travel period. This will be an increase of 9.6% compared to pre-pandemic levels in July of 2019 and a 6.1% increase from 2023.

Wednesday, July 3 and Thursday, July 4 are expected to be the busiest of the five days.

Check out the full advisory for further information regarding construction, nearby road and lane closures, AirTrain ride fare, air travel tips and more at panynj.gov.

Travelers can visit nassstatus.faa.gov to view current airport events around the country including delays.

They can also use the Newark Airport’s flight tracker to view all flights and their status at newarkairport.com/flight-tracker?view=VIEW_DEPARTURE&apt=EWR.

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