Newark, New Jersey — Newark Liberty International Airport has been grappling with an ongoing series of flight delays and cancellations for the past nine days, primarily due to a shortage of air traffic controllers. This situation has severely impacted operations, especially for United Airlines, which has announced a reduction of 35 daily flights in response to the challenges.

The crisis unfolded last week when nearly 20% of the air traffic controllers stationed at Newark walked off the job, citing persistent equipment failures as their primary concern. This exodus has exacerbated an already strained system, leading to significant disruptions for travelers.

Representative Josh Gottheimer, a Democratic candidate for governor in New Jersey, is urging immediate federal action to resolve the staffing shortages. He called on the Trump administration to allocate additional controllers to Newark Liberty and requested emergency funding to upgrade the facility’s outdated technology. “We need to rapidly increase our investment in air traffic control systems and address the technological issues at Newark airport and others across the nation,” Gottheimer emphasized.

The congressman’s remarks align with New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy’s earlier statements regarding inadequate investment in maintenance and staffing within the air traffic control system. Governor Murphy warned that these deficiencies have contributed to the current instability at the airport, calling the entire situation a “fragile system.”

Over the weekend alone, Newark Liberty saw the cancellation of 225 flights, with more than 950 additional flights facing delays. The ramifications of this disruption have been felt by countless travelers, complicating travel plans for many.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy acknowledged during a recent briefing that while the technology in use is outdated, current safety measures remain intact. Duffy is expected to unveil a comprehensive plan for implementing a new air traffic control system in the coming week.

As travelers continue to face uncertainty, officials are under increasing pressure to remediate existing issues swiftly. The calls for action by state leaders and representatives reflect a growing concern over air travel reliability amidst these ongoing challenges.