Overview

• The FAA ordered a ground stop at Newark Liberty International Airport on June 4 after air traffic controller staffing dipped below safe levels.
• The agency has capped the airport at 28 arrivals and departures per hour to manage delays tied to construction and personnel shortages.
• On June 2 Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy celebrated the early reopening of a major runway that should bolster capacity once certification testing concludes.
• A new fiber optic cable connecting Philadelphia’s TRACON to Newark now runs live to strengthen control communications after recent radar and telecom outages.
• Acting FAA head Chris Rocheleau confirmed that technology fixes are scheduled by October and that a multi-year procurement for a next-generation control system is underway.