Ground stop at Newark airport due to Air Traffic Control communication issues

Newark, New Jersey (WABC) – A stop on the ground Thursday morning at Newark Liberty International Airport had a training effect throughout the day when the rush to the trips of the Labor Day weekend has embarked on the full speed.

The problems started when the FAA published a temporary landscap for arrival flights due to communication problems control over air traffic.

Center air traffic controllers told ABC News that they had lost their radio frequencies.

As a result, incoming flights to Newark and Teterboro airports were arrested due to equipment problems until 12:30 p.m.

However, at 4 p.m., there were still 2.5 hours delays and the FAA had reduced the number of flights entering the airport.

Starting flights do not seem to be affected.

A spokesperson for United Airlines described stopping on the ground as a “problem”.

This is the second breakdown for controllers of the Philadelphia ATC Center which manages control of air traffic in Newark air space in the past 24 hours.

There was another breakdown between 6.30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Wednesday where the audio was not clear between planes and controllers for a brief moment.

Newark controllers have been warned that frequency problems could occur at any time in the coming 24 hours, said a controller on service at ABC News.

The FAA reduces the flights to Newark at 28 an hour until at least Friday compared to the previous 34s. Arrivals are also spaced about 20 miles away as airport approaches.

After problems with the air traffic control similar this spring, the FAA reduced the number of flights entering and leaving the airport during the summer.

All this comes, because the FAA expects it to be the busiest weekend of the Labor Day for plane trips in 15 years.

United Airlines says they will transport half a million passengers more than last year for the holidays. They say that they are fully aware of the problems and that they are ready to help passengers to go to their destinations.

Read also | Travel with ease this labor festival: Best moments to hit the road, new TSA family ways

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