The Federal Aviation Administration will limit thefts at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR), while travel problems at the New York region reception center threaten to spread in the advanced summer travel season.
The FAA announced on Tuesday a provisional prescription capping the number of hourly flights at 56 (28 takeoffs and 28 landings) by mid-June, in the hope of reducing congestion and resolving a series of flight delays.
The agency would easily soften these rules, at 34 departures and time arrivals, after the construction ends on the busiest track on the airport.
Weeks of frustration
This temporary FAA order comes after weeks of travel disturbances caused by this renovation project, combined with the effects of staff shortages and technical failures on critical air traffic control systems.
In recent weeks, the Philadelphia Air Traffic Control Center which governs Newark airspace has experienced multiple communication failures that have interrupted ATC contact with flying planes.
In the wake of a particularly stressful breakdown last month, a handful of controllers experienced authoritarian leave by the federal government.
The passengers met thousands of flight delays accordingly, and a handful of airlines have issued derogations to allow passengers to change their routes and get out of other airports in the region.
United Airlines, which operates a major EWR center, voluntarily deleted 35 daily round trips from its calendar earlier this month-and urged the FAA to demand limits of its competitors as well, arguing that it had assured the burden of the reduction of flights to make air traffic more manageable.
Last week, the FAA met seven major airlines out of New Jersey Hub to discuss broader calendar discounts.
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For the prospect, Newark can normally accommodate a maximum of 77 takeoff and disembarking, according to federal files.
Airlines are now limited to 56 total flights by June 15, the cuts commanded by the FAA would represent approximately 27% of less hours every hour.
Help! Here is what to do if your flight is canceled or delayed
After the end of daily track work on June 15, these limits would increase to a maximum of 68 time flights – down around 12% of ordinary travel periods – until October.
These limits could lead to the cancellation of airlines or move their calendar of peak hours of the day.
United praised the limits offered at the end of last week.
“The reduction in the number of flights planned in Newark will help ensure that we can safely and reliably manage the flights that remain depending on the calendar,” the carrier based in Chicago said on Friday in a statement.
Slow improvements
Newark operations have improved a bit in recent days.
Tuesday at 6 p.m., just under a fifth of the flights directed to EWR was delayed, according to Flightaware. It is an improvement compared to the 36% of Newark incoming flights which saw a delay on Sunday, which was one of the busiest travel days so far in 2025.
About half of the flights arrived at the door late on several days earlier this month.
In addition to the limits of takeoffs and landings, the FAA has deployed technological patches aimed at reducing future breakdowns while the Trump administration is looking for congress funding on a larger overhaul of the aging air traffic control infrastructure.
What if you fly from Newark
In the meantime, with the Memorial Day weekend travel race a few days old, the passengers planned to travel Newark have options.
Travel notice
United extended its EWR travel opinion until May 23. Passengers who bought their ticket on May 4, May 4, can reproduce without change costs or price difference through another connection airport.
They can also straighten towards flights in or outside Laguardia airport in New York (LGA) or Phildelphia International Airport (PHL).
JetBlue Passengers can also straighten up without change costs or price differences until May 31, notably by stealing from John F. Kennedy in New York (JFK), where the carrier has its greatest presence in the New York region.
Delta Air Lines has also published its own travel notice in recent days, which takes place until June 15 – although customers must make changes before May 24.
Passenger rights
Keep in mind that passengers with an canceled, considerably delayed or modified route can claim a full reimbursement if they decide not to travel, and do not accept rejection, as part of the US Policy of the Ministry of Transport. The reimbursement rules would also apply to passengers who choose to read in another airline, take the train or drive to their destination instead of accepting the flights of their original airline.
But airlines are less likely to compensate for passengers blocked for hotel stays, meals or land transport when problems are deemed to be controlled.
That said, travelers who reserve with a credit card that have travel insurance protections may be able to recover some of these unexpected expenses.
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