Delays at Newark airport: Check your flight status here in NJ

Flight chaos continues at Newark Airport

Travelers at Newark Liberty International Airport are facing a ninth day of massive delays, with some flights backed up more than five hours, as the nation grapples with a critical shortage of air traffic controllers. FOX 5’s Linda Schmidt reports live.

NEWARK, NJ - Hundreds of flights were either delayed or canceled between last week and the start of this week at Newark Liberty International Airport, and travel headaches were expected to continue on Tuesday.

NEWARK AIRPORT CANCELLATIONS: CHECK YOUR FLIGHT STATUS HERE

According to the flight-tracking website FlightAware, as of Tuesday evening, the airport had already seen dozens of delays and cancellations, continuing the trend of disruptions at the airport over the past week.

Newark airport problems, issues

On top of staffing shortages, there was a brief communication blackout between air traffic control and pilots last week.

The National Air Traffic Controller’s Union (NATCA) told FOX 5 NY that last Monday, they "temporarily lost radar and communications with the aircraft under their control, unable to see, hear or talk to them." The fried piece of copper wire sparked a 90-second radar and communications blackout for workers overseeing the airport's air traffic.

Newark Airport 'will not be fixed anytime soon'

FOX 5 NY's Linda Schmidt reviews the "dire" situation at Newark Airport a week into flight disruptions and cancellations, with "no relief in sight."

Air traffic controllers in Philadelphia were "so traumatized" by the event that they are now on leave, the union revealed. Their trauma leave can last up to 45 days.

The union told FOX 5 NY that "due to the event, the controllers took absence under the Federal Employees Compensation Act. This program covers all federal employees that are physically injured or experience a traumatic event on the job."

United Airlines cuts flights from airport's schedule

Meanwhile, faulting the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) alleged failure to address "long-simmering" challenges related to the air-traffic control system, United Airlines cut 35 daily flights from its Newark schedule starting this past Saturday.

NEWARK, NJ - FEBRUARY 20: United Airlines airplanes sit parked at gates while others proceed to a runway at Newark Liberty International Airport in front of the skyline of lower Manhattan and One World Trade Center in New York City on February 20, 20

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United Airlines operates the most flights out of Newark by far, and 35 flights represents about 10% of the round-trip domestic schedule operated by the carrier and its regional United Express network, according to information on the company's website.

What is happening at Newark airport?

The backstory:

The two most prevalent issues contributing to the disruptions are a staffing shortage for air traffic control and ongoing construction at the airport.

Airport runway construction

One of Newark's primary runways, Runway 4L-22R, is closed until mid-June due to a construction project meant to "rehabilitate" the runway. The $121 million project will improve the runway's infrastructure so that it complies with Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) standards.

Flights are being redirected to two alternate runways while construction is underway. However, there are times when Newark operates with just one active runway, according to travelers online.

FAA staffing shortages

The other issue Newark Airport is facing is a major staffing shortage. New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy has called the delays "completely and utterly unacceptable. He's asking Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy to prioritize the New Jersey-New York region for both technology and facility upgrades.

In a statement, the FAA said: "Our antiquated air traffic control system is affecting our workforce. As Secretary Duffy has said, we must get the best safety technology in the hands of controllers as soon as possible."

Aerial view of United Airlines passenger planes docked in a terminal of Newark Airport in Newark, New Jersey, on May 11, 2024.

Last Thursday, Duffy unveiled a new package to boost the dwindling workforce.

"We're about 3,000 air traffic controllers short right now," Duffy said. "Now we do have enough controllers to control the airspace. We increased our salaries by 30%. The key part of the solution is the current air traffic controllers that we have. We are going to give an upfront substantial bonus for those controllers who are eligible to retire to actually stay on."

Duffy said on Friday that he visited with "our hard-working air traffic controllers as we work to fix these equipment outages caused by outdated technology."