following a series of flight disruptions at Newark Liberty International Airport this spring, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy is advocating for a comprehensive overhaul of the nation’s air traffic control (ATC) system. He warns that similar issues could arise at airports across the contry without significant investment.

During a Wednesday briefing, Secretary Duffy addressed the ongoing repairs and staffing enhancements aimed at resolving the problems that plagued Newark Liberty International Airport. He noted that flight operations have improved in recent weeks due to airlines reducing the number of flights.

Secretary Duffy stressed that the radar outages and air traffic controller shortages experienced in Newark highlight the urgent need to modernize the outdated ATC infrastructure.

“I’m concerned that we could have more Newarks. And again, why it’s so important that we actually begin this build with the money that Congress is going to send us,” he said.

While Secretary Duffy has not yet provided a specific cost estimate for the proposed ATC system overhaul, he indicated that it would require “tens of billions” of dollars, exceeding the $12.5 billion allocated in President Donald Trump’s bill. The need for upgrades became even more apparent after the midair collision over Washington,D.C., in January, which resulted in 67 fatalities, coupled with the operational challenges encountered at Newark this spring.

Secretary Duffy has been engaging in private discussions with lawmakers to garner support for the plan, emphasizing the importance of allowing congress to determine the appropriate funding mechanisms.

Improvements at Newark Airport

The operational challenges that led to numerous flight cancellations and delays at Newark appear to have lessened since the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) imposed limitations on the number of flights to match the available controller capacity. The philadelphia air traffic control facility, which manages flights in and out of Newark, experienced a staffing shortage after five controllers took trauma leave following the initial radar and communications outage on April 28. An additional controller is currently on medical leave.

As a result, the facility was operating with only 16 certified controllers and five supervisors. However, Secretary Duffy noted that 16 experienced controllers are undergoing training and are expected to receive certification between now and October.

This situation underscores the broader issue of the FAA’s ongoing shortage of approximately 3,000 air traffic controllers. To address this, Secretary Duffy has implemented measures to expedite the hiring and training processes, while also offering incentives to encourage experienced controllers to postpone retirement.

The FAA anticipates increasing the number of daily flights at Newark to 34 arrivals and 34 departures upon completion of a runway construction project in mid-June. This timeline coincides with the potential return of some controllers from their 45-day trauma leave. The FAA plans to reassess the flight limitations in October, anticipating a larger pool of trained controllers by then.

Following a second radar outage on may 9, the government upgraded the software at the air traffic control facility, which prevented a recurrence of the issue on May 11.

FAA Tackles Telecommunications Issues

The FAA is actively addressing the telecommunications infrastructure. Secretary duffy stated that Verizon has installed a new fiber optic line between Philadelphia and New York, but the FAA intends to conduct thorough testing before implementation, likely in July. subsequently, the FAA plans to upgrade the lines connecting New York and Newark airport, some of which still rely on copper wires.

“Clearly something wasn’t going right when we experienced these outages.”

“clearly something wasn’t going right when we experienced these outages,” acting FAA administrator Chris Rocheleau said. “Right now, part of this effort, part of this initiative, is to ensure we’re acting with decisiveness, right – with focus – to make sure the lines get in, to make sure those redundancies are put in, to make sure the controllers have the tools they need to make the system safe, to operate safely.”

In the interim, Secretary Duffy advised pilots to review procedures for handling outages, as they can occur unexpectedly. In addition to the Newark incidents, controllers in Denver experienced radio communication failures for a few minutes earlier this month. Secretary Duffy also revealed that several unreported outages affected Newark in the previous year.

“We have to look at the real world around us and some of the issues that come up and make sure we are brushed up and ready to go, should there be a brief outage,” Duffy said. “And again, that there’s a lot of redundancy and a lot of procedures that keep people safe should this happen.”