NEWARK, NJ — Staffing issues led to hundreds of delays at Newark Liberty International Airport on Saturday.
Newark had nearly 400 delays as of 11 p.m., according to data from FlightAware. Some flights were even delayed by two hours because air traffic control was short-staffed.
Are an ongoing problem at Tri-State Area airportsand as the holidays approach, some travelers are concerned.
The FAA staffing shortage continues to cause problems for travelers
“So Newark is a bit of a mess right now, and you can partly blame that Staffing shortages at the FAA” says Clint Henderson, editor-in-chief of travel industry website The Points Guy.
He says the FAA is so short staffedair traffic controllers are mandatory overtimebut the agency is trying to fix it, starting with moving control of the airspace from Newark to Philadelphia in an attempt to lighten the burden on the New York team.
“This has has been a problem for years now … They’ve made progress. They actually hired 1,811 air traffic control personnel. Their goal was 1,800, so they are reaching their goals, but the problem is that people are retiring so quickly that they can’t keep up and it’s just particularly bad in New York airspace” said Henderson.
Busy holiday travel season expected
The problems are a potential cause for concern just 12 days after Thanksgiving.
“It’s like a zoo, and actually I try very hard to avoid the holidays in general, but if you have to travel it’s always better to book it well in advance,” said traveler Jackie Larmony.
Larmony’s Spirit Airlines flight home from Charlotte was among the late arrivals at Newark.
“It was about an hour and a half, I would say, late… But it’s okay. I’m here. I’m happy,” she said.
Henderson also recommends that travelers download the airline’s app to stay informed of possible delays.
“Some apps, like the United app, will show you the weather for the plane, where it’s coming from and all sorts of details,” he said.
Since the end of the pandemic, demand for air travel has broken records, and another busy season is expected around Thanksgiving and Christmas.
