Key Takeaways
• Newark Liberty International Airport suffers major delays due to outdated air traffic control systems using floppy disks and copper wire.
• Controller shortages force the FAA to cut hourly flights from 77 to 56, with delays averaging over two hours.
• A $121 million runway repair and federal technology overhaul are underway; full modernization is scheduled within four years.
The recent turmoil at Newark Liberty International Airport, with days filled with flight delays, constant service outages, and widespread confusion, didn’t happen overnight. According to experts, these problems have built up over many decades due to neglect, aging systems, lack of staff, and a pattern of not fully addressing problems as they appeared. When people say the airport runs like “old phone systems,” they mean it quite literally—much of the key airport technology still depends on floppy disks, copper wiring, and computers from the 1970s. This outdated setup is now at the heart of the airport’s struggle to keep up with today’s travel demands.
Outdated Air Traffic Control at the Core
At the center of Newark Liberty International Airport’s trouble is its very old air traffic control (ATC) system. The technology looks almost the same as it did nearly fifty years ago. Operated mostly with floppy disks—small plastic disks that store very little data by today’s standards—and hundreds of miles of copper wire, these old systems now hold back airport performance at every level. Federal aviation officials, who have reviewed the systems several times, have warned that these tools need replacing right away.
Breakdowns are now frequent: sometimes, the radar and communication systems that let air traffic controllers track planes and talk to pilots go dark for up to 90 seconds at a time. These blackouts, which have happened weeks in a row, leave planes circling or stranded on the ground because no one can safely direct them. Experts say, while Newark’s situation is severe, it is far from rare; government reports found that about three out of every four U.S. air traffic control systems face similar risks and may also break down if conditions get worse.
Strained by Too Few Controllers
Technology is just part of the picture. Newark Liberty International Airport also faces serious staff shortages, especially among air traffic controllers. The Philadelphia Terminal Radar Approach Control, or TRACON, which manages all of Newark’s incoming and outgoing flights, operates with only about 82 certified controllers—far below the 114 needed for smooth and safe operations. Conditions at Newark’s control tower are even worse: just 24 certified controllers are available when there should be at least 38.
This shortfall is not just a number on paper. When technology fails, controllers experience more stress, some to the point of needing trauma leave. As more people step away to take care of their health, even fewer controllers remain to handle hundreds of flights each day. The result is simple: more delays, more ground stops, and a growing risk of mistakes. Controllers have been working against the odds for months, and every new outage makes their job harder.
Runway Work Makes Everything Worse
In April, Newark Liberty International Airport closed its busiest departure runway—Runway 4L/22R—for a full overhaul. This runway usually handles most of the airport’s takeoffs and landings, so its loss shifted all flight activity onto the remaining runways. The $121 million job will last until at least mid-June. While these repairs are needed, the construction has created daily bottlenecks. Airlines still try to keep up their usual schedules even though the airport’s capacity is much lower, especially at peak travel times. With fewer runways and already stretched staff, delays pile up even faster.
Old Buildings, Busy Roads, and Little Planning
Newark Liberty International Airport isn’t just troubled by its runways and air traffic control systems. Its terminal buildings are too small for the crowds passing through, and their old design makes daily operations hard for staff and passengers alike. Roads leading into and around the airport are often clogged, making it hard for both travelers and supplies to move quickly.
Experts have pointed out again and again that the airport has suffered from poor long-term planning. Improvements over the last decades have often been piecemeal—one unit or section at a time—with little thought about how all the parts fit together. As more passengers began using Newark, its patchwork of buildings and roads could not keep up.
Even back in the 1990s, people were already warning that this slow, scattered approach would eventually cause the kind of large-scale chaos the airport faces today. The only surprise for many insiders is that it took so long for things to break down this badly.
Inside the Numbers: Delays, Outages, and Cancellations
For passengers, the problems translate to long waits and missed flights. On average, each delay at Newark Liberty International Airport is now more than two hours, and during particularly rough spells, travelers can wait up to six hours—a full quarter of a day—before getting off the ground. When radar or radio systems fail, or when bad weather pounds the area, hundreds of flights may be cancelled altogether.
To get a handle on the crisis, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has cut back the number of allowed flights to safer levels. Instead of the normal 77 arrivals and departures every hour, the airport limits this to about 56—the maximum that the current, reduced staff can safely handle. In line with this cut, United Airlines and other major carriers have also lowered the number of scheduled flights from Newark, sometimes frustrating travelers, but aiming to keep people safe in the sky and on the ground.
The situation is so pressing that even U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy weighed in, saying, “We need a realistic number of flights arriving at Newark… we are taking advantage of a once-in-a-generation opportunity” for a big rebuild. But in the short run, the only way to avoid more disaster is to keep flight levels lower, until better technology and more staff are available.
A Snapshot of a Typical Day in Chaos
Let’s picture a busy weekday this spring at Newark Liberty International Airport:
- Hundreds of travelers line up at understaffed counters, all eager for answers.
- Flight information boards flash delays, some for just an hour—others for most of the day.
- In the control tower, a handful of tired controllers keep watch over crowded skies, scribbling notes to stay ahead while they juggle failing computers and radios.
- Engineers race between parts of the airport, swapping out aging floppy disks—technology that most people haven’t seen in use since the 1990s.
- In the background, orange construction cones block off a key runway, adding to the traffic pile-up both outside and in the air.
This scene, many insiders warn, could become the standard for other airports unless large-scale improvements move quickly.
What Are Floppy Disks, and Why Are They Still in Use?
For those who might wonder, floppy disks are a type of portable computer storage that were common from the 1970s through the 1990s. They hold far less information than even the cheapest USB drives today, and loading data onto them is slow and unreliable. After many years, most businesses and even home users stopped using floppy disks, but Newark Liberty International Airport still depends on them to run parts of its air traffic control systems. This is both a symbol and a real threat: if these old systems break unexpectedly, newer parts and replacements can be hard to find.
Who’s Affected—and How?
The problems at Newark Liberty International Airport reach many people, not just travelers passing through. Here’s a look at the groups most affected:
- Travelers: Face long waits, sudden cancellations, and sometimes total confusion about which flights are leaving.
- Airline Workers: From flight crews to ticket agents, everyone feels more stress as schedules change on short notice.
- Air Traffic Controllers: Their responsibility grows steeper each time the equipment fails, forcing them to pick up the slack for both old technology and colleagues on leave.
- Local Economy: When delays and cancellations spike, local hotels, taxi drivers, and restaurants see fewer visitors and less money.
- Neighboring Airports: As Newark cuts flights, these may face more pressure to handle flights shifted from Newark—possibly spreading delays across the region.
A Warning for the Nation
Newark Liberty International Airport is not alone. The problems with old technology, staff shortages, and patchwork upgrades have been flagged by federal and independent reviewers in many places. In fact, about three-fourths of air traffic control systems in the United States 🇺🇸 face similar risks. If one airport’s meltdown can cause so much trouble, experts warn, the whole country’s aviation network is at risk if investments aren’t made soon.
Looking Ahead: A Costly Catch-Up
The good news is that change is finally in the works—a major federal project now promises to replace Newark’s copper wires with faster, more reliable fiber optics, and to overhaul the airport’s computers and control equipment. The plan is to complete everything within four years, but many experts are nervous. If delays continue, or if one more major outage happens before the new tools are ready, the final price tag—for both time and money—could be even higher.
As one veteran air traffic controller put it, “The lights are blinking…the sirens are turning… ‘Listen—we have got to fix this.’” The urgency is clear: every day without action is another day travelers, workers, and businesses face the risk of chaos.
According to analysis from VisaVerge.com, Newark Liberty International Airport is now serving as a warning to all of America—a sign of what can happen when investments are delayed and old technology is stretched far past its breaking point.
Choosing Safety over Speed: What Will Change Now?
For now, the approach is simple but tough: keep the number of flights low enough that staff and equipment can handle the load. That means passengers might see fewer options and more wait time, at least until repairs finish. Major airlines, for their part, have announced they will reduce flight numbers out of Newark Liberty International Airport for the time being, hoping this will prevent even worse delays and boost safety.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, meanwhile, has called for a “once-in-a-generation” overhaul and admits that in the short term, travel will not get easier. Instead, the focus has shifted to “realistic” flight numbers—only as many as can be safely managed with current staff and technology.
What Should Passengers Do?
If you need to travel through Newark Liberty International Airport soon, here are a few tips:
– Check your flight status often, since delays and cancellations can pop up suddenly.
– Allow extra time to get to and through the airport, especially with road congestion and busy lines.
– Be ready for changes in gate numbers, flight times, or even routes.
For official details on airport operations, technology upgrades, and safety measures, travelers and industry workers can visit the Federal Aviation Administration’s main website.
A Final Note: Lessons Beyond Newark
In the end, Newark Liberty International Airport’s struggle is not a local curiosity—it is a nationwide lesson. When air traffic control equipment still runs on floppy disks, and when staff are so few that absences mean instant chaos, it’s a sign that the whole system needs attention. With major upgrades still years away, everyone from government leaders to industry insiders—and, most of all, the flying public—will be watching closely.
The hope now is that Newark’s problems will speed up the fixes and help other airports across the United States 🇺🇸 avoid similar pain. Until then, the best advice is to plan ahead, have patience, and keep a close eye on any updates about airport changes. The story at Newark Liberty International Airport, as it stands, is about delay—but with urgent work underway, there’s a chance for things to finally take off in the right direction.
Learn Today
Air Traffic Control (ATC) → A system directing aircraft safely on the ground and in the air, managed by trained human controllers using specialized technology.
Floppy Disk → An outdated, portable computer storage device holding very little data, once common but now mostly replaced by USB drives.
TRACON → Terminal Radar Approach Control; a regional FAA center that manages incoming and outgoing flights for multiple airports, including Newark.
FAA → Federal Aviation Administration; the U.S. government agency overseeing aviation safety, regulations, airport operations, and air traffic control.
Fiber Optics → Advanced cables using light signals for high-speed, reliable data transmission; now replacing older copper wiring in modern airport systems.
This Article in a Nutshell
Newark Liberty International Airport’s aging technology and severe controller shortages have triggered nationwide disruption warnings. Floppy disks and outdated wires still run critical systems. Major runway repairs and a federal modernization plan promise relief, but travelers should expect longer delays until upgrades, scheduled over the next four years, are complete.
— By VisaVerge.com
Read more:
• Why the US Air Traffic System Still Relies on Paper Strips and Floppy Disks
• PMHC Demands Air Traffic Control Overhaul Now
• Delhi Airport to close Runway 28/10 for major landing system upgrade
• FAA Unveils Bold Air Traffic Training Overhaul in Atlanta
• FAA Faces ‘Chaos’ as Air Traffic Control Falters
