Flight operations at Newark Liberty International Airport, the nation’s 12th busiest airport, are being watched closely. A digital communication blackout that recently knocked air traffic controllers offline for several hours should strike fear into anyone with serious concerns. The union representing 55,000 flight attendants on airlines has called on them to drastically reduce flight schedules out of Newark. They’re just as worried about safety as they are with the operational efficiency during this transition time.
On April 28, Newark’s air traffic controllers briefly lost both radar and communication with planes. This failure caused massive disruptions in air traffic across the region. This near-disaster came just two months after the Philadelphia-based regional air traffic control facility responsible for coordinating traffic in Newark had a severe 30-minute communication loss. When the main communication line went out, controllers and pilots were placed in an extremely dangerous predicament. To add insult to injury, the backup system failed to trigger.
As a result of this shutdown, air traffic into and out of Newark came to a grinding halt. As reported in Air Current trade magazine’s series Congressional Follies, this is not a unique failure. This is not the first radar failure in Philadelphia. These problems are related to the old data communication lines between New York and Philadelphia and continue to severely hamper NJ TRANSIT operations, especially within Newark. David Soucie, former FAA safety inspector, expressed concern that Newark’s terrible state of the future could become the norm. Otherwise, he warns, they’ll surely get worse if not for the worse.
Todd Yearly, a former air traffic controller, spoke about the increased danger during critical phases of flight. He added that communication breakdowns like these get especially scary when they coincide with points where flight operations are the most critical. Both former officials focused on the urgent need for solutions. They emphasized that this tremendous new demand is outstripping Newark’s existing capacity to operate.
The FAA has been encouraged to cap the number of arrival and departure slots available at Newark. This action will help relieve congestion and improve safety overall. At the moment, only 24 of the 33 controllers detailed to Newark have moved from Philadelphia. This cuts the facility to a skeleton crew and makes the national air space chaos even worse to manage.
Passengers flying through Newark Airport are the ones who are beginning to experience the consequences of these gambits first-hand. Ninety-five percent of the passengers we surveyed said they had to constantly monitor a flight for delays. Joseph Rierson was looking forward to his trip to Spain with his wife. Now they’re rethinking their travel plans in light of continued chaos at Newark. Such sentiments are a symptom of the bigger frustration felt by travelers tackling an ever more congested and compromised airport experience.
What we don’t need are recent communication failures that led to major flight disruptions. This perfect storm comes at a time when the nation is pinning its hopes on a much-needed reform of our air traffic control system. The administration’s multibillion-dollar proposal to overhaul these systems, an idea backed by the last three presidents, would shift air traffic management into the 21st century nationwide. Industry observers, most notably Michael Kirby, are raising the alarm. They fear that Newark might not handle today’s level of air traffic accurately because of these obstacles.
Today, Newark is in a different place, experiencing serious operational challenges. Affected stakeholders are understandably concerned about the effects these policy changes may have on the safety and efficiency of air travel. Limiting flight operations is crucial to easing the current acute burden on the airport’s infrastructure. This will help us zero in on the most impactful long-term solutions.
