A temporary ground stop at Newark Liberty International Airport caused major delays just as the Labor Day weekend travel rush began. The issue stemmed from communication problems at the FAA, which meant Air Traffic Controllers couldn’t receive radio signals. Because of this, all arriving flights to Newark and nearby Teterboro Airport were halted until late morning.
Despite the ground stop ending by 12:30 p.m., delays lingered, with wait times extending up to 2.5 hours by 4 p.m. Departing flights weren’t affected, but incoming were limited. A spokesperson from United Airlines referred to the situation as a “glitch.”
This wasn’t an isolated case. The same Philadelphia ATC center had another communication breakdown just the night before. Controllers had been warned that frequency issues might persist for the next day.
To manage the chaos, the FAA reduced the number of incoming flights to 28 per hour, down from 34, and increased the spacing between arrivals. This response follows similar issues earlier this spring, which prompted the FAA to cut flights during peak summer travel times.
As for the bigger picture, this is shaping up to be the busiest Labor Day weekend for air travel in 15 years. Airlines are preparing for record numbers, with United Airlines expecting to transport half a million more passengers compared to last year.
This spike in travel demand is reflective of a broader trend in post-pandemic air travel. According to the FAA, passenger numbers are rapidly approaching pre-COVID levels, highlighting a strong recovery in the aviation sector. As travelers hit the skies, keeping an eye on potential setbacks could be key to smoother journeys.
For a deeper dive into recent air travel trends and expectations, you can visit the FAA’s official site.
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