Air traffic controllers guiding planes tied for the Newark Liberty International Airport lost their radar and radio communication for more than a minute early last week before the key hub flights have been snapped for days, according to people who are familiar with the matter.
The seizure of these major systems took place on April 28 and lasted nearly 90 seconds, people said, asking to not recognize the matter because it was not public. Following the incident, many employees were placed in the trauma, people said.
The incident and resulting reduction among staff contributed to a week of flight delays and cancellation at Newark Airport that pushed United Airlines Holdings Inc. To cute the 35 -day -day rotation of key hub trips, the largest for international removal and a major gateway for domestic flights.
Details, not yet reported, painted a terrible picture of problems covering the Federal Aviation Administration's operation in Philadelphia that guided flights in and out of Newark, which held more than 48 million passengers last year. The facility there has experienced a number of technology failures, people say.
When the radar or radio frequency stops working, there are no fail-safes, one of the people said, which means that the controlrs should just wait for the system to return online. Left unnoticed, some controlrs are concerned that facility issues may result in a tragic accident, people said.
FAA did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
In a statement, the National Air Traffic Controller Association confirmed that the facility was to “temporarily lose the radar and talk to the aircraft under their control, not see, hear, or talk to them.”
Last week's incident left some controllers clearly shaken, with some tears, and at least one person experiencing stress palpitations, one of the people said. However, the controllers did not just “walk to work” following the flow, Natca said.
That is how United CEO Scott Kirby described the situation in aMessageto the customers on Friday that was widely reported.
The FAA has argued with a staffing crunch because Newark's airspace management was moved last year to Philadelphia from another site to New York State. The latest problems reflect a broader challenge of accumulating infrastructure and staff deficiencies with FAA traffic control operations.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said he plans to unveil a plan later this week to upgrade agency's equipment and facilities. Last week he also announced steps to boost rent, including a slate ofNew bonuses. The FAA is currently nearly 3,000 air traffic controllers short of desired levels.
Government guardians and the aviation industry have long warned that these problems are becoming more serious and may lead to more disruptions in the journey, or at worst are the risk of flying public.
The US Government Accountability Office emphasizedLast yearThat fast action was required, citing an analysis of the 2023 FAA that found 76% of agency traffic control systems were either uncertain or potentially uncertain. In 2024, the FAA said the average age of an air traffic control tower was 40 years old, and most radar systems were approaching the same age.
Duffy and Nick Daniels, president of the National Air Traffic Controller Association, visited the FAA's Philadelphia facility by the end of last week in the midst of ongoing Newark problems.
“If we do not act, we will begin to see these issues throughout the national airspace,” Duffy said in aPost on xFollowing his visit.
This story was originally featured on Fortune.com
