The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has imposed limits on flights at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) due to ongoing travel disruptions. This order caps the number of hourly flights at 56, with 28 takeoffs and 28 landings scheduled until mid-June, primarily due to complications arising from runway construction and staffing shortages, along with technical issues affecting air traffic control.
Recent weeks have seen multiple disruptions, particularly a series of communications outages at the Philadelphia air traffic control center, which oversees Newark’s airspace. These outages contributed to significant flight delays, leading United Airlines to voluntarily reduce its daily flights by 35 to alleviate congestion and urged the FAA to enforce similar limitations for other airlines.
Typically, Newark handles a maximum of 77 takeoffs and landings per hour, so the new FAA limits represent a roughly 27% reduction in operations. After construction concludes on June 15, these restrictions will be eased slightly to allow for 68 flights hourly, still about a 12% reduction from normal levels, which might lead to further cancellations or schedule shifts.
Despite the challenges, operations have shown some improvement recently, with flight delays dropping from 36% to around 20%. The FAA has also initiated technology updates to prevent future outages while Congress works on a larger overhaul for the air traffic control system.
Passengers using Newark are encouraged to check their travel arrangements as Memorial Day weekend approaches. United Airlines has extended its travel advisory, allowing customers who booked before May 4 to change their itineraries without fees. JetBlue and Delta have also issued similar advisories, emphasizing flexibility for affected travelers.
Passengers affected by cancellations or significant delays have rights to full refunds per U.S. Department of Transportation guidelines, but compensation for additional costs, like hotel stays, is generally not provided when issues are deemed out of the airline’s control. Travelers might be able to recover some expenses through credit card travel insurance protections.
For more information on travel advisories and rights, consult the following resources: