Newark Airport Hit by Second Air Traffic Control Outage in Two Weeks

Newark Airport's Second Air Traffic Control Outage in Two Weeks Newark Liberty International Airport was hit by its second air traffic control outage in just two weeks on Friday, May 9, 2025. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) confirmed that a telecommunications outage caused a disruption lasting approximately 90 seconds, impacting communications and radar displays at Philadelphia TRACON Area C, which controls the airspace around Newark. "There was a telecommunications outage that impacted communications and radar display at Philadelphia TRACON Area C," the FAA confirmed in a statement. The outage, which occurred around 3:55 a.m., caused significant delays for travelers. One air traffic controller, speaking anonymously, stated, "It was chaos for a few minutes. We were working blind." The FAA is investigating the cause of the outage and whether it is related to the previous incident last Monday. The incident has highlighted the need for improvements to the nation's air traffic control system, a sentiment echoed by Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, who recently proposed a plan to overhaul the system. While the early morning timing of this outage minimized the impact on the number of flights affected, it is a serious concern for the safety and efficiency of air travel. The FAA is committed to ensuring the safety and security of the nation's airspace and is taking steps to prevent future outages.