Air Traffic Controllers' Trauma Leave Disrupts Newark Flights

A recent radar and communications outage at Newark Liberty International Airport caused air traffic controllers at the Philadelphia TRACON to temporarily lose contact with planes, leading to hundreds of flight delays and cancellations. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) attributed the disruption to outdated telecommunications and radar equipment, compounded by staffing shortages as at least five controllers took up to 45 days of paid trauma leave under the Federal Employees Compensation Act to recover from the stress. United Airlines' CEO criticized the situation, noting that over 20% of FAA controllers for Newark flights were on leave, further exacerbating operational challenges. The National Air Traffic Controllers Association defended its members, stating that the trauma leave was necessary due to the acute stress of losing all communication with aircraft, and that the outages are symptomatic of an antiquated air traffic control system. The FAA is now working to improve system reliability and resiliency while continuing to train new controllers, although replacements cannot be made quickly due to the specialized nature of the job. In the interim, the rate of arrivals into Newark has been slowed to ensure safety.