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The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has extended flight restrictions at Newark Liberty International Airport until October 2026. This decision comes in response to multiple communications and radar outages earlier this year that led to thousands of flight cancellations. The FAA aims to maintain safety and reduce delays by limiting the number of flights while addressing staffing and equipment challenges.
The new order increases the hourly flight limit from 68 to 72 operations, still below the more than 80 operations scheduled before the restrictions were implemented. United Airlines, which operates a major hub at Newark, supports the continued limits, with CEO Scott Kirby stating that the reduced operations are crucial for long-term operational certainty.
According to CNN, the FAA has transitioned to a new fiber optic communications network between New York and the Philadelphia Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON) facility. Staffing has also improved, with 22 fully certified controllers and five certified supervisors now in place. The FAA's decision follows feedback from the airport operator and airlines, who agreed with the proposal to extend the order and increase the flight rate.
The FAA's extension of the flight limits will take effect on October 26, 2025, and will continue until October 24, 2026. The FAA emphasized that the goal is to ensure smoother travel into and out of Newark by maintaining safety and reducing delays. Weekend construction closures of Runway 4L-22R are also scheduled to resume through the end of the year.