Newark airport outage last week lasted 60-90 seconds, ATC screens went dark: Sources
NEWARK, New Jersey (WABC) -- The outage at Newark Liberty International Airport last Monday caused air traffic control computer screens to go dark for roughly 60 to 90 seconds, according to multiple sources with knowledge of the incident. It prevented the controllers from talking to aircraft during this time as well.
That outage led to controllers walking off the job, causing cascading delays and cancelations over the past week.
"Due to the event, the controllers took absence under the Federal Employees Compensation Act. This program covers all federal employees that are physically injured or experience a traumatic event on the job," the union representing the air traffic controllers said in a statement.
The nightmare delays at Newark Airport stretched on for another day Monday due to short-staffing for air traffic control towers, combined with runway construction delays and bad weather in the New York City metro area.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer called for an investigation into the "chaos" sparked by an air traffic controller shortage and thick cloud cover.
Schumer, a Democrat from New York, said he wants an inspector general's investigation into the delays and cancellations to prevent them from getting worse or spreading. New Jersey Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy called the delays "completely and utterly unacceptable" in a post on X, and said Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy is "committed" to hiring more air traffic controllers.
The delays at the busy airport outside New York City made headlines over the weekend as United Airlines said it was cutting 35 daily flights from its schedule.
As of Monday, the Federal Aviation Administration attributed arriving flight delays of nearly four hours to a combination of staffing and cloud cover.
United Airlines said more than 20% of FAA controllers at Newark walked off the job. Without them, Newark cannot handle the number of planes scheduled to operate there in the weeks and months ahead.
In addition to staffing limitations, officials say air traffic control equipment outages have contributed to the problems at Newark Airport over the last week.
Runway construction is another problem that has left the airport with just one.
In the meantime, mounting delays and cancellations meant missed connections for some travelers.
"We kind of came in having no idea it was happening, but it looks like everyone's getting hit by it," Cameron Olivier, a traveler to Canada, said.
With the summer travel season just weeks away, the Department of Transportation has been trying to find solutions, including rolling out a plan to hire more air traffic controllers and delay retirement.
Officials are expected to announce another plan this week to modernize air traffic control technology.
United has issued a "flexibility" travel waiver that allows passengers traveling to and from Newark to reschedule their trip without any additional fees.
Newark Airport has put out a travel advisory, urging passengers to check their flight status before heading to the airport.
(ABC News and The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
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