DOT to Investigate Newark Delays

Department of Transportation will review the agency’s transfer of Newark airspace responsibilities from New York to Philadelphia.

Jack Daleo

Tuesday, July 29, 2025 at 01:48 PM ET

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Jack Daleo

Newark Liberty International Airport (KEWR) has been plagued by disruptions since late April. [Wikimedia Commons]

Key Takeaways:

Newark Liberty International Airport is experiencing severe, weeks-long delays and cancellations, prompting a U.S. DOT audit into the FAA's handling of its airspace.
The disruptions stem from a combination of systemic Air Traffic Control (ATC) staffing shortages, aging infrastructure leading to critical equipment failures (like radar and communications blackouts), and operational challenges related to a recent transfer of Newark's ATC responsibility.
These issues are part of a broader national problem affecting multiple airports, with the FAA responding through new controller hiring incentives and a comprehensive plan to modernize outdated ATC equipment and infrastructure.

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The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) is looking for answers about weeks of severe delays and cancellations at Newark Liberty International Airport (KEWR).

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy on Monday requested an audit of the FAA’s handling of Newark’s busy airspace, through which more than 24 million passengers flew in 2024, per FAA data. The disruptions are due to a combination of staffing shortages, runway construction, and equipment issues that twice rendered controllers unable to receive communications and radar data for about 90 seconds.