U.S. Reps. Nellie Pou (D-NJ), Rick Larsen (D-WA) and Steve Cohen (D-TN) asked the Trump Administration to provide answers as to the cause of growing problems and Newark Liberty International Airport.
In a letter signed by several the law makers, along with U.S. Reps. Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), Rob Menendez (D-NJ), Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ), and Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ), the group asked what is being done to curtail issues at the airport as well. In recent weeks, the hundreds of flights at the airport have been cancelled and thousands of other flights have been delayed, causing chaos for travelers at one of the largest airports in the country.
“Among the various challenges plaguing Newark Airport, reports indicate that air traffic controllers temporarily lost radar and communications with aircraft at Newark Airport last week for over a minute,” the Congressmembers wrote. “The flying public must feel confident in the safety of our ATC system and that they will reach their destinations without interruption. That confidence has been shaken time and time again over the past months.”
Newark serves almost 50 million passengers annually and is a major economic driver in the region, the group said. Reports indicate that some of the stoppages were caused by issues at the Philadelphia Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON) facility, including some failures of outdated air traffic control technology and insufficient air traffic controller staffing.
The group asked the acting head of the Federal Aviation Administration, Chris Rocheleau, to provide them with information about the ongoing challenges at Newark Airport and what is being done to improve conditions there. The group asked for answers no later than May 20, 2025.