Newark, New Jersey — Passengers flying to and from Newark Liberty International Airport faced significant disruptions on Saturday as a shortage of air traffic controllers led to substantial delays and cancellations. This staffing crisis is part of a wider national issue that the current administration has promised to address.

The turmoil at Newark, one of the busiest airports in the New York metropolitan area, persisted throughout the week. In response, United Airlines announced the reduction of 35 daily flights from its schedules effective Saturday. CEO Scott Kirby attributed the decision to ongoing equipment failures and the increasing number of controllers leaving their posts.

Kirby noted that the air traffic control facility in Newark has struggled with chronic understaffing. He highlighted that over 20% of the airport’s traffic controllers were absent, further crippling operations. “The FAA has made it clear that without these controllers, Newark simply cannot accommodate the volume of scheduled flights in the upcoming weeks,” he stated in a communication to customers.

Reports from the Federal Aviation Administration indicated that flights arriving at Newark faced average delays of nearly two hours, with some delays extending to five hours on Saturday morning. Departures were slightly better, averaging around 45-minute delays. By late afternoon, incoming flights were running over three hours behind, although delays for outgoing flights decreased to about half an hour.

The ripple effects of the situation spread across major airports including Los Angeles, Atlanta, and Chicago, which were experiencing delays as a result of the Newark disruptions. United Airlines, which operates the majority of flights from this hub, saw the cancellation of about 10% of its domestic offerings.

As Newark officials acknowledged staffing shortages and ongoing construction as contributing factors to the delays, the FAA has indicated it is actively working to bolster the air traffic controller workforce. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy recently unveiled plans aimed at recruitment and retention of controllers, including incentives to prevent current staff from retiring.

However, the National Air Traffic Controllers Association has called for more than just staffing solutions, urging that technological and infrastructure upgrades are equally vital to resolving the systemic challenges facing air traffic management.

Duffy visited Newark on Friday, meeting with air traffic controllers to understand firsthand the issues stemming from outdated equipment. United’s flight reductions come at a time when uncertainty looms over the airline industry, with demand for travel shifting as passengers weigh options amid economic concerns.

In the face of this turbulence, United is proactively adjusting expectations, even releasing dual financial forecasts to account for potential recessionary impacts. From its Newark operations, the airline serves a wide network, including 76 cities within the U.S. and 81 international destinations.

With challenges like the air traffic controller shortage compounded by economic tensions, the situation at Newark may test the resilience of travelers and the airline industry alike in the coming weeks.