A Newark air traffic controller on the moment systems went dark
May 21, 2025•11 min
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Summary
Following recent system outages causing significant delays and cancellations, an air traffic controller discusses the harrowing conditions working Newark airspace. They attribute the problems partly to systemic issues like aging technology and staffing shortages, but also directly blame the FAA's controversial decision to move operations from New York to Philadelphia without adequate planning. The episode explores the human impact on controllers and the current state of flying into or out of Newark.Episode description
Federal regulators are now limiting the number of flights in and out of Newark Liberty International Airport. This comes after a harrowing month for the air traffic controllers who work the airspace around it.
On April 28th, communications and radar systems went dark at the air traffic control facility in Philadelphia, where controllers manage the airspace around Newark.
Since then there have been more outages.
Hundreds of flights in and out of Newark have been cancelled or delayed since that first outage. Now the Federal Aviation Administration is slowing the pace of arrivals and departures.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy insists that will help.
Still, these incidents have raised big questions. How did the mess in Newark get as bad as it did? And, What it will take to fix an aging air traffic control system.
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On April 28th, communications and radar systems went dark at the air traffic control facility in Philadelphia, where controllers manage the airspace around Newark.
Since then there have been more outages.
Hundreds of flights in and out of Newark have been cancelled or delayed since that first outage. Now the Federal Aviation Administration is slowing the pace of arrivals and departures.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy insists that will help.
Still, these incidents have raised big questions. How did the mess in Newark get as bad as it did? And, What it will take to fix an aging air traffic control system.
For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign up for Consider This+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.
Email us at considerthis@npr.org.
See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.
NPR Privacy Policy
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