Flights into Newark Liberty International Airport were briefly halted Sunday morning following another equipment outage at the Philadelphia TRACON facility, which manages Newark’s airspace. The 45-minute ground stop was caused by a telecommunications issue, according to the FAA.
While operations have since returned to normal, the incident follows a series of recent outages at the same facility, including a radar and radio blackout last Friday and a major disruption on April 28 that led to over 1,000 flight cancellations and multiple controllers taking trauma leave.
Sunday’s disruption resulted in 67 delays and 79 cancellations at Newark, though no flights were diverted. A separate issue also triggered a ground stop for some Atlanta-bound flights the same day.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy acknowledged the ageing state of the FAA’s systems, announcing plans to reduce flight volumes at Newark in the coming weeks while a fix is implemented. He confirmed that a new direct communications line from Newark to the Philadelphia TRACON will be completed by the end of summer, and a new national air traffic control system is expected by 2029. Duffy also pledged 20% upfront bonuses to air traffic controllers to help stabilise staffing.
FAA Statement
This information is preliminary and subject to change.There was a telecommunications issue at Philadelphia TRACON Area C, which guides aircraft in and out of Newark Liberty International Airport airspace. The FAA briefly slowed aircraft in and out of the airport…
— The FAA ?? (@FAANews) May 11, 2025