After a string of disruptions out of Newark Liberty International Airport and a fatal plane crash near Washington, D.C., the nationâs aging air traffic control system is receiving new scrutiny.
The airline industry has long struggled with outdated technology and staffing shortages, but the problem came to a head last week after Newark experienced multiple outages.
There are just 10,800 air traffic controllers â around 3,000 short of the Federal Aviation Administrationâs staffing goal, according to the National Air Traffic Controllers Association.Â
The Federal Aviation Administration is now slated to meet with major carriers on Wednesday to discuss restricting the number of flights out of Newark. Hereâs what you need to know:
What Happened at Newark?
Newark is one of the most congested airports in the U.S. and often faces disruptions. In an effort to ease some of that congestion, the FAA moved air traffic controllers responsible for Newark from Long Island to Philadelphia last year.
On April 28, air traffic controllers who guide planes in and out of Newark faced an o