The Federal Aviation Administration has extended a temporary restriction on the number of flights airlines can schedule at troubled Newark Liberty International Airport.
Through at least June 15, no more than 28 arrivals and the same number of departures will be allowed each hour, marking a 28% decrease from the average of 39 that typically take off and land.
The decrease follows technological breakdowns on April 28 and May 9 that impacted Philadelphia air traffic controllers directing planes crossing the New Jersey border. Controllers and pilots were left in the dark for up to 90 seconds in those instances.
Radar systems experienced a third glitch on May 11, though backup systems prevented a loss of communication. A fourth outage knocked out radio communications for about two seconds on Monday, but the radar stayed online.
Following the first outage, up to seven air traffic controllers began a 45-day trauma leave, worsening an already existing shortage. That, in addition to airfield construction, caused hundreds of cancellations and delays as shorthanded staffers struggled to keep pace.
Officials responded to the setback by capping the number of arrivals and departures to a maximum of 56 per hour, which will now remain in effect until at least mid-June.
Come that time, Newark could be allowed to up the number of arrivals and departures to 34 a piece once a runway project is complete and the controllers on leave are back on the job. However, the FAA made it clear that further flight reductions may be necessary beyond June 15.
United Airlines took it upon itself to ease congestion over Newark by cutting 35 daily flights from its schedule earlier this month.
With News Wire Services
