Newark Air Controllers Again Lost Contact With Planes For Over a Minute As Disruptions Continue

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said on Friday that air controllers at the Newark airport again lost contact with airplanes for over a minute as the facility continues to be plagued by such issues.

"There was a telecommunications outage that impacted communications and radar display at Philadelphia TRACON Area C, which guides aircraft in and out of Newark Liberty International Airport airspace. The outage occurred around 3:55 a.m. on Friday, May 9, and lasted approximately 90 seconds," the FAA said in a social media publication.

It is the second such outage in two weeks and adds to concerns about flights departing and landing from Newark. Just a few days ago an unidentified air controller told MSNBC that "it is not a safe situation right now for the flying public" to fly out of Newark. "He just said that to me, and separately: 'Don't fly into Newark. Avoid Newark at all costs.'"

The FAA said the situation is a result of a shortage of air traffic controllers. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy is urging people to pursue the job, saying last week the department is seeking to hire at least 2,000 controllers this year.

In the meantime, however, the snags have led United Airlines to cancel 35 daily roundtrip flights from the airport due to poor technology and staffing issues.

"For many years, United has been very clear and vocal about the need to fix the Air Traffic Control system in EWR. While we enthusiastically support the efforts underway to permanently and structurally fix the FAA, the long-simmering FAA challenges boiled over this week," said on Friday the company's CEO, Scott Kirby, last Friday. He added that more than 20% of all FAA controllers at the airport have left their posts.

"Keep in mind, this particular air traffic control facility has been chronically understaffed for years and without these controllers, it's now clear – and the FAA tells us – that Newark airport cannot handle the number of planes that are scheduled to operate there in the weeks and months ahead," Kirby said.

Officials have vowed to overhaul the country's air traffic control system, which handles over 45,000 daily flights. Transportation Secretary Duffy is requesting several billions of dollars to do so. He said such sums are necessary even though over $14 billion have been invested in upgrades since 2003.

"We are on it. We are going to fix it. We are going to build a brand new system for all of you and your families and the American people," Duffy said. The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee said last week the cost to modernize the system could cost $12.5 billion, but Duffy estimates his project will be more expensive.

Duffy requested all funding be provided upfront, rather than incrementally, to finish it in four years. Airline executives and trade representatives are supporting the proposal. President Donald Trump also joined the announcement via speakerphone.

Originally published on Latin Times

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