Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy blames Biden administration for Newark airport infrastructure system failures while detailing plans to fix it. (Credit: Department of Transportation)
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy laid out the plans the Trump administration has for fixing the nation’s air traffic control system, while blaming the previous administration for its failures impacting Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR).
Duffy held a press conference Monday afternoon, after the FAA imposed the latest of several recent ground delays at EWR. The FAA said they had been “slowing arrivals and departures” there “due to runway construction at Newark and staffing and technology issues at Philadelphia TRACON, which guides aircraft in and out of the airport.”
Duffy noted that it was the Biden administration that moved the TRACON (Terminal Radar Approach Control Facilities) from New York to Philadelphia, and said he was calling for an Office of the Inspector General investigation into this and other decisions.
“We didn’t have to be here,” Duffy said. “This did not have to be our story. Over the last four years, the last administration, they knew this was a problem. And by the way, during COVID, when people weren’t flying, that was a perfect time to fix these problems.”
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) instituted yet another ground delay at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) on Monday, just one day after their previous delay.
‘TELECOMMUNICATIONS ISSUE’ AT NEWARK AIRPORT LEADS TO MORE DELAYS, FAA CONFIRMS
The FAA air traffic control tower is seen at Newark Liberty International Airport in Newark, New Jersey, on May 7, 2025. (KENA BETANCUR/AFP / Getty Images)
“Due to FAA staffing issues, the FAA has instituted a Ground Delay Program at #EWR,” the airport posted on X.
The average flight is leaving one hour and 41 minutes later than scheduled, according to the latest FAA advisory.
Information in a notice to the Federal Register ahead of a meeting Wednesday at FAA headquarters in Washington, D.C., regarding EWR says Philadelphia TRACON has 82 Certified Professional Controllers while its “target staffing number” is 114.
“The federal register notice outlines proposed rates now and after runway construction,” an FAA spokesperson told FOX Business.
4 REASONS FOR THE NEWARK AIRPORT MELTDOWN
A United Airlines airplane takes off at Newark Liberty International Airport in front of the skyline of Lower Manhattan and One World Trade Center in New York City on Feb. 20, 2025 in Newark, New Jersey. (Getty Images / Getty Images)
“Generally speaking, the arrival rate is dynamic and variable depending on conditions throughout the day including weather, staffing levels or equipment capabilities,” he said.
Operations appear to be improving at EWR, according to flight tracking website FlightAware, which says there have only been 14 cancellations at the northeast hub airport in the last 24 hours. FlightAware said Sunday that there had been 70 flight cancellations at EWR in the previous 24 hours.
NEWARK AIRPORT CRISIS, OTHER RECENT INCIDENTS FIRE-UP DEBATE OVER PRIVATIZING AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL
An inside view of Newark Airport as travelers are facing weeks of massive delays, United Airlines canceling routes and staffing shortages in Newark, New Jersey, on May 6, 2025. (Mostafa Bassim/Anadolu / Getty Images)
Sunday’s delay also involved Philadelphia TRACON. The FAA told FOX Business in a statement at the time that “[t]here was a telecommunications issue at Philadelphia TRACON Area C, which guides aircraft in and out of Newark Liberty International Airport airspace.”
“The FAA briefly slowed aircraft in and out of the airport while we ensured redundancies were working as designed,” the statement continued.
| Ticker | Security | Last | Change | Change % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UAL | UNITED AIRLINES HOLDINGS INC. | 77.27 | -2.14 | -2.69% |
On Saturday, United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby did a pre-recorded interview with CBS News’ “Face the Nation,” where he maintained his stance that flying is safe and backup procedures are in place for equipment outages.
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“It’s the safest way to travel by far,” Kirby said. “I understand how people feel and empathize with that, but I know it’s safe because I’ve spent my whole career in it. I know all the people in aviation, whether they work at United Airlines, other airlines, the FAA. Safety is number one, and it is in the core DNA of everyone.”
