On April 28, 2025, Newark Liberty International Airport was hit with a 90-second communication shutdown. Air traffic controllers lost contact with arriving aircraft during that time. A United Airlines pilot asked, “Are you there?” as he tried to make contact with controllers.
What Caused the Outage?
The blackout resulted from a malfunction in the stream of data feeding between aging radar gear in Long Island and the newer Philadelphia facility. This breakdown exposed weaknesses within the U.S. air control system, one that relies upon old technology as well as low personnel levels.
The Human Impact
The outage caused distress among air traffic controllers. Some controllers took 45-day leaves due to the emotional toll of the incident. One controller expressed concerns about a potential disaster, recalling a previous near-miss incident when communication was lost.
A Larger Problem for U.S. Aviation
The Newark blackout is only one instance of a larger problem in American air travel. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has acknowledged that old systems and shortages of personnel are the culprits. Across the country, there are approximately 3,000 fewer air traffic controllers than needed, causing delays and putting extra stress on the system.
Calls for Change and Modernization
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy requested immediate improvements to the aged air traffic control systems. He was insistent on improved technology and redundancy so that such accidents do not happen in the future. Improvements are underway with the FAA, but it will require time to fix these ingrained problems.
Airline Responses to the Crisis
To counteract the inconvenience brought by the blackout, United Airlines, Newark’s largest airline, has cut its daily flights by 35. CEO Scott Kirby criticized the FAA for its years of infrastructure issues and called for a quick resolution to avert further accidents.
The Path Forward
The Newark Airport blackout has made it obvious that there are deep flaws in the U.S. air traffic infrastructure. Modernization is clearly called for to support safe and effective air travel. As the FAA makes upgrades, there needs to be a sense of urgency not to allow something like this to occur again.
