The unfolding crisis at Newark Liberty International Airport shows no signs of letting up, as The New York Post exclusively reveals that only one fully certified air traffic controller will be on duty during the airport’s peak hours tonight.
Between 6:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m., the entire flow of planes arriving and departing Newark will be overseen by just a single certified controller, assisted only by a trainee. This falls far short of the usual staffing level of 15 controllers, which is considered standard for a shift of that magnitude.
A controller based in New York, speaking anonymously, called the scenario “pure insanity,” stating that operations at Newark’s tower will be “at bare bones” during a window when up to 180 aircraft are expected to either take off or land.
This precarious staffing situation narrowly avoided becoming what’s known in aviation circles as a “zero ATC event” — a term that refers to the complete absence of controllers. A last-minute intervention by a controller who volunteered to work on his scheduled day off prevented that worst-case scenario from happening on Monday afternoon.
“One of the controllers is canceling his day off and coming into work. But that’s not going to safely cover the entire system,” the source warned The Post.
The insider explained that this isn’t the first time the airport has faced such a risk. On Sunday night, only two air traffic controllers were managing the night shift — a dangerously low number, given the complexity and volume of Newark’s traffic.
“15 is the target for EWR. Anything less than half of that is rough. Safety begins to be compromised,” he said, noting that in his many years in the field, he’s “never seen anything like this.”
He added, “If you get below half of that standard, so seven, your safety begins to be compromised and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) knows that. So what they’ll do is put out ground stop delays and that’s what we’re seeing across the country.
“But it’s still just dangerous when 1-3 controllers are getting slammed.”
The FAA and Department of Transportation did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Post.
Nonetheless, US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy addressed the Newark situation during a press briefing. “I think it is clear that the blame belongs with the last administration. Joe Biden did nothing to fix the system they knew was broke.”
Multiple controllers told The Post that the airspace surrounding New York and New Jersey is considered one of the most congested and difficult to manage in the entire country.
“In ideal weather, with full staffing and with perfectly functioning technology, the FAA tells us that the airport can only handle 77 flights per hour,” United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby said in a note to employees last week.
“And yet, the FAA regularly approves schedules of 80+ flights per hour almost every day between 3:00pm and 8:00 p.m.”
“This math doesn’t work,” Kirby added in the note. “Especially when there is weather, staffing issues or technology breakdowns — the airspace, taxiways, and runways get backed up and gridlock occurs.”
Newark Liberty, where United Airlines runs 68% of the flights, recently suffered two serious radar and communication blackouts in a span of just two weeks. In response, the FAA has proposed slashing the number of hourly operations to 56.
Talks between the FAA and major airlines are set for Wednesday, with the possibility of reducing Newark’s flight volume on the table.
According to the source, the ongoing staffing shortfall — which has led to severe delays, cancellations, and growing safety concerns — stems from a decision made last year.
“It is because Pete Buttigieg and the union collaborated and moved the [Newark] sector from Long Island [in New York] to Philadelphia last summer in the name of ‘staffing concerns’,” he told The Post.
The FAA previously noted that several controllers at Newark had taken what they called “trauma leave,” allowing up to 45 days off to recover from the emotional toll of recent equipment breakdowns.
{Matzav.com}
It seems to me, that airport traffic control would be a good venue for the use of AI( Artificial Intelligence) computers.