FAA proposes extending Newark flight caps through summer 2026 amid staffing shortages

United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby welcomed the proposal. He noted in a LinkedIn post that it was "good news" for customers and said United’s operations at EWR are currently "the best they've ever been." United holds over two-thirds of Newark’s market share and has experienced significant challenges from previous ATC-related disruptions.

Demand for flights at Newark is expected to remain high. The FAA declined an offer for additional staffing support after determining it would not sufficiently resolve ongoing issues. Historically, EWR can handle about 70 movements per hour under normal weather conditions but has seen delays and cancellations during peak times. In May, a critical communication failure led to more than 200 canceled flights and widespread delays during Memorial Day weekend.

Progress toward meeting ATC staffing targets has remained largely unchanged since June. Staffing at Philadelphia TRACON (PHL), which currently manages ATC duties for Newark, remains below optimal levels: overall capacity is under 72%, while Area C—covering EWR—is staffed below half its target level. The U.S. Department of Transportation Inspector General is auditing the FAA’s decision to shift duties from Newark to Philadelphia.

One notable incident occurred in May when only one controller and a trainee managed all flights on a Monday evening at EWR. Despite these challenges, some improvements have been made; notably, the installation of a new fiber optic cable network replaced an older copper system that failed earlier in the year.

Nationally, the FAA reports it is still short about 3,500 air traffic controllers compared with its targets. While citing years of under-funding as part of the problem, the agency recently received a $2.3 billion budget increase intended to help hire approximately 2,500 new controllers next year.