US EditionNewark Airport Radar Loss Left Controllers Blind for 90 Seconds: Report
- On April 28, 2025, air traffic controllers at Philadelphia TRACON lost radar and communications managing flights to Newark Liberty International Airport for about 90 seconds.
- The loss was caused by major equipment malfunctions within Newark’s aging air traffic management infrastructure, compounded by persistent shortages of personnel at the control center.
- The outage caused hundreds of flight delays and cancellations, stress-induced absences among controllers, and renewed scrutiny of the aging system's vulnerability.
- More than 150 flights were canceled and over 350 delayed on April 28, according to FlightAware, while Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy called the system "incredibly old" and prone to delays.
- The incident intensified calls for urgent modernization of air traffic infrastructure and bolstered recruitment to address controller shortages, with a national transformation plan announced soon.
216 Articles
216 Articles
How do we avoid the next airport disaster like Newark? An expert says 6G could be the solution
Newark Liberty International Airport was once again plunged into chaos when radar screens went black on the morning of May 9. It follows a recent disruption in communications with air traffic controllers in Philadelphia, who handle flights in and out of Newark, that caused hundreds of delays and cancellations.
Newark Airport Crisis (Live Updates): Third Outage And Staffing Shortage Disrupt Flights—Here’s What We Know
For the third time in two weeks, Newark Liberty International Airport air traffic controllers overseeing the busy New Jersey airport were temporarily unable to contact pilots.
Radar blackouts at Newark Airport continue to spark safety fears and political pressure to fix systems
For the second time in just three days, a radar blackout at Newark Airport forced a ground stop on Sunday, plunging the busy hub into chaos and reigniting concerns about the nation’s aging air traffic control system. The failure left air traffic controllers without radar or radio contact with aircraft, halting departures and arrivals and frustrating passengers already grappling with delays and cancellations. It was the third radar failure in two…
'Comms lost with pilots on weekly basis' before Newark air traffic outage
VITAL radio contact with pilots is failing nearly every week – putting passengers’ lives at risk – terrified air traffic controllers have warned. They’re faced with a constant “nightmare” following a catastrophic deadly crash, multiple near-misses and planes “flying blind” over New Jersey. GettyNewark Liberty International Airport was a scene of panic on April 28 when air traffic controllers lost all contact with planes approaching the major tra…
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