Newark Liberty International Airport, one of the nation’s busiest airports, has been struggling with major delays and cancellations amid technological disruptions, staffing shortages and a runway closure.
Communication problems, including a brief radar outage at the air traffic control facility on Friday and an outage last month, have left travelers wondering how safe it is to fly into Newark. Concerns have also mounted after two high-profile commercial plane crashes involving U.S. airlines earlier this year.
A recent poll commissioned by The Points Guy and conducted by the Harris Poll showed that 65 percent of Americans said they are more nervous about flying because of recent incidents.
Here’s what to know about flying in or out of Newark.
What’s behind the delays?
In short: a confluence of factors, including a runway closure, changes to the airport’s air-traffic-control operations, staffing shortages and equipment failures.
Sheldon H. Jacobson, a travel security and safety expert, called the disruptions “a perfect storm.” The national airspace system has long relied on aging infrastructure, he explained, and while airport facilities have been updated frequently, the air traffic control systems have not kept pace.
As travel demand surges, with more than 2 million people screened by the Transportation Security Administration per day in the United States, he said, this outdated infrastructure is struggling to keep up.
The recent software and hardware glitches at Newark have rattled the airport’s traffic controllers. Current and former air traffic controllers who have handled traffic for Newark said they would avoid flying in and out of the airport, both for safety and convenience. One current controller advised travelers to choose a different airport, noting that flights in and out of Newark are likely to face delays.
A former controller said safety risk factors have increased.
What do the authorities say about safety at Newark?
Officials say it is safe, in contrast to the concerns stated by some controllers.
In a news conference on Monday, the transportation secretary, Sean Duffy referenced an antiquated backup telecommunications line, among other factors. “We are trying to slow speeds down to 1990 speeds for 1980 equipment,” he said.
Mr. Duffy said that he planned to reduce the number of flights at Newark as a safety measure. “We’re going to make sure that if you fly, you’re going to fly safely, and if we reduce the number of flights at Newark, we’re not doing it to annoy people, we’re not doing it to delay people’s travel,” he said. “What we’re doing is guaranteeing safety, and when you have problems, you actually slow things down.”
At the news conference, Chris Rocheleau, the acting administrator of the F.A.A., also emphasized that flying at the airport is safe. Starting on Monday, he said, the agency had convened a task force to address the problems, including representatives from the F.A.A. and technology and telecommunications contractors. Transportation Department officials are expected to meet with airline executives on Wednesday to discuss flight reductions. United, which operates about two-thirds of flights at Newark, has already cut back on some flying there.
In a Fox News opinion article on Friday, United Chief Executive Scott Kirby attributed the disruptions to outdated and underfunded systems and urged customers not to “conflate these challenges and constraints with safety.”
“In short, neither the F.A.A. nor United will ever compromise on safety,” he wrote. “But when the F.A.A. has technology outages or staffing shortages, it leads to delays and cancellations for our customers and that’s the issue we’re determined to solve.”
United also sent an email to customers attesting to its safety that included a link to a video featuring Miles Morgan, the head of the airline’s flight training, answering questions from travelers about Newark. “It is absolutely safe to fly,” he says in the video.
Are other airports facing similar problems?
The snarled traffic at Newark has reverberated across the nation’s air travel system. The F.A.A.’s website showed delays at a number of U.S. airports on Monday, and a travel advisory issued by the agency reported an average expected delay of 101 minutes for passengers flying to Newark, citing the reason for delays as “staffing.” The agency also displays expected average delays at airports across the nation on its website.
Mr. Jacobson said that travelers should be more worried about delays than about safety. He added that Newark shouldn’t be the only airport raising concerns.
“I suspect every single airport’s air traffic control tower and system are checking everything right now because everyone is on high alert,” he said.
Should you consider other options?
For travelers looking for alternatives, options remain limited. For trips of a thousand miles or more, flying continues to be the safest and most practical choice. Driving poses far greater risks, with over a hundred fatalities on U.S. roads each day.
Travelers with flexible itineraries might consider rebooking their upcoming flights to depart or arrive in another nearby airport. United is offering travelers waivers to rebook Newark flights to Philadelphia or LaGuardia Airport through May 23.
Cheyenne Morton is one of those travelers who is nervous about flying.
Ms. Morton, a second-grade teacher from the area near Houston, was flying home from Newark Airport after helping lead a group of 30 eighth-grade students on a class trip to New York City and Washington, D.C. She echoed recent concerns about service at the New Jersey airport.
“They always tell you not to fly out of Newark. There’s construction issues, delays, traffic issues coming from New York, canceled flights and last-minute gate changes,” Ms. Morton, who is in her late 30s, said. “It all sounds like a lot of mismanagement.”
For those who find themselves at Newark and are delayed because of the recent problems, IHG Hotels & Resorts offers a temporary balm: Travelers who submit proof of flight disruptions through a booking page can receive a free drink or appetizer and loyalty points, even for people who aren’t loyalty program members.
Emily Steel and Mark Bonamo contributed reporting.
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Coral Murphy Marcos is a business reporter.
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