Staffing issues trigger ground stop at Newark Liberty International Airport on Sunday

Staffing issues trigger ground stop at Newark Liberty International Airport on Sunday

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) temporarily halted departures bound for Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) on Sunday morning due to air traffic control staffing issues. FOX 5 NY's Duarte Geraldino has the story.

NEWARK, N.J. - The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) temporarily halted departures bound for Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) on Sunday morning due to air traffic control staffing issues, according to an ATCSCC advisory. 

As of 9 a.m., the FAA changed the stop to a Ground Delay Program extended through 12:59 a.m., Monday. 

What we know:

The FAA advisory, issued at 13:51Z (8:51 a.m. ET), states that the delay program will remain in effect from 13:51Z Sunday through 04:59Z Monday (8:51 a.m. to 12:59 a.m. ET).

The program affects all flights from the contiguous U.S. and Canada bound for Newark. Flights departing from major regional air traffic centers, including ZNY, ZDC, ZTL, ZOB, ZBW and ZAU, will be required to hold or delay their departures based on assigned slots.

According to the FAA, Newark’s arrival rate is being restricted due to staffing shortages at the control tower. The advisory reports an average delay of 116 minutes and a maximum delay of 212 minutes.

The Ground Delay Program replaces the earlier Ground Stop that was issued Sunday morning and lifted after nearly two hours. The FAA noted that revisions are likely later in the day as staffing levels change during the evening shift.

What is a ground stop?

A ground stop is a temporary order issued by the FAA that halts or restricts flights headed to a specific airport.
It is typically used to manage air traffic when conditions at the destination — such as weather, runway closures, equipment malfunctions, or staffing shortages — make it unsafe or inefficient to accept incoming aircraft.

During a ground stop, flights that have not yet departed are held at their origin airports until the FAA clears them to proceed. Ground stops are often lifted gradually as conditions improve or as traffic is rerouted.

What's next:

The FAA says operations at Newark may continue to experience cascading delays throughout the day as airlines adjust schedules. Travelers are advised to check directly with their airline for the latest departure times and rebooking options.