Overview

• The FAA announced three new high-bandwidth telecom connections and fiber-optic replacements to improve reliability at the Philadelphia TRACON, which manages Newark air traffic.
• A temporary backup system and a dedicated STARS hub at Philadelphia TRACON are being deployed to reduce dependency on New York's data feed.
• Controller staffing is being bolstered, with 22 fully certified controllers and 21 in training, as 20% of Newark-responsible controllers remain on trauma leave after the April 28 outage.
• United Airlines has reduced its Newark operations by 35 daily flights, now operating 293 departures per day, while offering rebooking options for impacted travelers.
• Runway construction and capped arrival rates at 28 flights per hour continue to limit Newark's capacity, with delays and cancellations still affecting passengers.