FAA to Cap Flights at Newark Airport Through 2025
The FAA hopes the cap will limit disruptions at Newark LIberty International.
Photo: John McAdorey / Shutterstock.com
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is capping flights at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) through the end of 2025 to help manage construction-related delays and operational strains at the busy travel hub.
Starting September 1 through December 31, the FAA will limit arrivals and departures at Newark to 28 each per hour on weekends during critical airport construction. For the rest of the time through October 25, flights will be capped at 34 each per hour.
The move comes after months of disruptions at Newark, driven by a combination of air traffic controller shortages, aging technology, and a major construction project that shut down Runway 4L-22R for safety upgrades. That runway reopened this past Monday—13 days ahead of schedule—after a $121 million repair project, which had left only two runways operational and forced the FAA to cut flight capacity to 56 per hour from over 80 previously.
“The confirmed reduced rates will maintain safety while alleviating excessive flight delays at the airport due to staffing and equipment challenges,” the FAA said in a statement. “The early completion of runway construction at the airport that added to the delays will also contribute to a more efficient operation.”
The New Jersey airport has faced a string of setbacks this year, including a blackout on April 28 caused by a burnt-out copper wire that crippled airport operations and stranded thousands of travelers.
To address the underlying challenges, the FAA said it is upgrading outdated telecommunications systems that rely on copper wiring, replacing them with faster fiberoptic technology. Three new high-bandwidth connections between New York-based hubs and the Philadelphia TRACON are being added, along with a temporary backup system for the Philadelphia facility to ensure reliability. Additional staffing is also underway, with 22 fully certified controllers and 5 fully certified supervisors already in place at the Philadelphia TRACON, and 22 more controllers and supervisors currently in training.
The FAA said it will continue working with airlines and the airport to ensure Newark remains a safe and efficient gateway for travelers.
