In the span of just two weeks, communications between air traffic controllers and pilots at Newark Liberty International Airport have failed twice, each time for about 90 seconds. Though no crashes occurred, the breakdowns triggered massive delays, traumatised air traffic staff, and reignited concerns over America’s aging and dangerously understaffed air traffic control (ATC) system.

The first outage on April 28 was followed by a radar failure on May 3, underscoring what many experts are calling a full-blown crisis in U.S. aviation infrastructure. With over 50,000 flights managed daily in the United States, even brief disruptions can spiral into chaos.

Senator Charles Schumer of New York slammed the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) as “really a mess,” while New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy blamed “decades of underinvestment” and delays in modernizing outdated technology.

A report by the Department of Transportation’s Inspector General revealed that 20 of the 26 most critical U.S. airports are operating with staffing levels below the FAA’s minimum threshold. In Newark, controllers reportedly took “trauma leave” following the incident, worsening already thin personnel numbers.

A Crisis Decades in the Making

The roots of today’s chaos can be traced back to 1981, when then-President Ronald Reagan fired over 11,000 striking air traffic controllers. “The system’s staffing problems started then,” said Sara Nelson, President of the Association of Flight Attendants. “What’s happening now is the fruit of that neglect, plus tax cuts, budget cuts, and anti-government sentiment that killed infrastructure and hiring.”

The National Air Traffic Controllers Association reports the system currently has 10,800 certified controllers well below the 14,300 recommended. While over 2,000 trainees are in the pipeline, training can take up to three years for complex airports like Newark and JFK. Many candidates drop out due to the intense demands of the job.

Trump Administration Announces Overhaul

In response to the Newark debacle, Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy on Thursday unveiled an ambitious plan to modernize the U.S. air traffic system. The proposal includes replacing outdated equipment, some of which still uses floppy disks and copper wiring, with fiber, satellite, and wireless technologies across 4,600 sites.

“People have said this is too hard and too expensive,” Duffy said. “But we have a president who actually loves to build.”

His plan also includes $5,000 bonuses for new controller recruits who pass training, part of a broader strategy to “supercharge” the workforce. The cost of the plan has not been fully disclosed, though estimates from Congress place it at over $12.5 billion.

The airline industry and air traffic unions have cautiously welcomed the proposal, but many experts are skeptical. “Unless you fix the root causes, throwing money won’t matter,” said aviation analyst Robert Mann Jr.

The Stakes Are Sky-High

This year alone has seen troubling signs of system stress. In January, a commercial jet collided with an Army helicopter near Washington’s Reagan Airport, killing 67 people, the worst aviation disaster since 2001. On May 1, another Army helicopter disrupted two landings at Reagan. Newark itself has suffered four communications failures since August 2023.

A 2023 New York Times investigation found that serious near-miss incidents in U.S. airspace occur several times weekly. And the FAA’s own data show that 51 of its 138 systems are considered “unsustainable.”

Yet despite the grim statistics, some industry leaders remain confident in the overall safety of American aviation. “Safety is always first,” Mann said. “But yes, your flight might be four hours late.”

For Nelson, the flight attendants’ union leader, the unsung heroes are clear: “Air traffic controllers are like nurses during Covid. The system’s crumbling, but they keep us all safe.”

Now, all eyes are on Congress to see if Duffy’s plan gets the funding it desperately needs. “What happened in Newark is just a preview,” Nelson warned. “Other airports are next if we don’t act.”