Is Newark airport open? Here’s what travellers need to know

Runway work causing delays

One of the main runways at Newark is closed for repairs. This started in April and will continue until mid-June. Because of this, fewer flights can land or take off, so delays and cancellations are more likely.

Staff shortages making things worse

There is also a shortage of air traffic controllers. These are the people who help planes take off and land safely. Many are off work due to stress and recent problems at nearby airports. This is slowing down flights and making the situation harder to manage.

Technical glitches add to the chaos

In late April, a technical problem with radar and radios caused major delays. Some flights had to be diverted. Experts say the airport’s systems need big upgrades.

Fewer flights allowed

Because of all these issues, the US government has limited the number of flights at Newark. Right now, only 28 arrivals and 28 departures are allowed each hour. This will increase to 34 flights per hour in June and continue through October.

Also Read: Is Newark International Airport back to normal? FAA confirms another brief communications outage

United Airlines, which flies the most from Newark, has cancelled 35 round-trip flights per day to help ease pressure on the airport.

The FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) has made several changes to fix the technical issues. They updated the software and added new fibre optic cables, which have helped keep the radar working, even during later problems. However, a long-term solution will take more time. They plan to build a new radar system at the Philadelphia centre that controls flights in and out of Newark Airport. This could take months, and even then, the old systems might still be at risk.

FAA Administrator Chris Rocheleau said, “Our goal is to relieve the substantial inconvenience to the traveling public from excessive flight delays due to construction, staffing challenges, and recent equipment issues, which magnify as they spread through the National Airspace System,” as reported by Newjersey101.5 report.

What you should do

• Check your flight before leaving home.

• Arrive early, especially if flying internationally.

• Stay updated through your airline’s app or website.

Newark Airport is still running, but it’s facing serious problems. If you’re travelling soon, plan ahead to avoid any last-minute trouble.