The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has announced a proposal to extend the cap on flight arrivals and departures at Newark Liberty International Airport through October 24, 2026. The extension aims to address ongoing issues of delays caused by staffing and equipment challenges.
The FAA is inviting airlines and other interested parties to submit comments on the proposal by August 15, 2025. The agency previously set limited rates for Newark following discussions with airlines and the Port Authority, as well as a public comment period that ended in June. These restrictions are currently in place through the end of 2025.
Under the new proposal, during airport construction on weekends from September 1 through December 31, 2025, arrivals and departures would be capped at 28 per hour each. After construction ends on October 26, 2025, this limit would increase to no more than 36 arrivals and departures per hour until October 24, 2026.
"The goal of the reduced rates is to continue maintaining safety while alleviating flight delays due to staffing and equipment challenges, resulting in smoother travel into and out of Newark," according to the FAA.
The FAA outlined several measures it has taken to improve operations at Newark. These include upgrading communications infrastructure between New York and Philadelphia TRACON facilities with a new fiber optic network that offers increased resiliency by using two separate paths. A temporary satellite backup system was also installed at Philadelphia TRACON to provide redundancy during the transition period.
Additionally, a STARS hub is being established at Philadelphia TRACON so it does not rely on telecommunications feeds from New York’s hub. Controller staffing levels have been increased: Philadelphia TRACON Area C now has 20 fully certified controllers and five supervisors. There is also an active pipeline of trainees—20 controllers and six supervisors currently undergoing training for positions at PHL.
"The U.S. Department of Transportation and the FAA will continue working with all stakeholders to ensure travel is a safe, efficient, and functional for passengers and air carriers," stated the agency. For real-time updates about operations at Newark or information on staffing across airports nationwide, travelers can visit fly.faa.gov.
