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Newark Airport forced to ground all flights causing travel chaos for passengers

Newark Airport departures are currently being grounded, with the Federal Aviation Administration's Air Traffic Control System Command Center saying staff shortages are to blame

[Newark Liberty Airport, Newark, New Jersey, USA - October 31, 2024 - Aerial photograph of the new Terminal A at Newark Liberty Airport EWR featuring United Airlines planes boarding and unloading]

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Flights have been grounded at Newark Liberty International Airport once again as the travel hub continues to struggle(Image: Getty Images)

Travellers expecting to fly from Newark Airport have found themselves grounded due to an abrupt halt to all flights, blamed on a worrying lack of staff needed for runway operations.

The grim news emerged as the Federal Aviation Administration's Air Traffic Control System Command Center confirmed grounding outbound traffic due to staffing deficits.

The situation has deteriorated since slashes were made in federal funding earlier this year, which led to one in five of the airport's ATC personnel leaving their jobs. For months, much of the airport's air traffic has been controlled from Philadelphia due to the shortage this caused..

The turmoil at Newark Liberty International Airport has been going on for months, with the FAA having to repeatedly ground planes because of progressive tech glitches within the Air Traffic Control systems.

[A control tower is seen at Newark Liberty International Airport in Newark, N.J., Monday, May 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)]

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Newark Liberty International Airport has been plagued with staffing shortages since Trump axed funding(Image: AP)

These recurring issues have even prompted President Trump to step in back in May, stating "I fly out of Newark all the time," as he tried to alleviate concerns among flyers.

Following the unexpected grounding, passengers set to leave on Wednesday, 4 June, should brace for a potentially extended period of disruption, with arrivals slated to touch ground in Newark also affixed firmly to the ground elsewhere.

Incoming flights are expected to encounter hold-ups, with landing delays circling approximately half an hour as reported currently.

Amidst this chaos, the FAA has implemented a traffic management strategy for those scheduled to land at Newark Airport.

[sean duffy]

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Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy was at Newark just this week to brag about its new runway(Image: AP)

Just this week, Trump's Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced a significant development at the airport to address the numerous problems passengers have encountered recently.

On Monday, he held a press conference to reveal that another runway had been completed two weeks ahead of schedule. However, merely three days later, Newark was plunged back into turmoil.

Despite the new runway, Secretary Duffy simultaneously admitted that flight operations would need to be reduced due to the recent technological and staffing issues.

Since April 28, Newark has experienced three power outages, leaving air traffic control screens dangerously blank as planes were taking off and landing.

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