A safety issue occurred again at Newark Airport in New Jersey, causing hundreds of flights to be delayed or canceled.
On the 11th (local time), the Federal Aviation Administration reported communication problems at the Philadelphia Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON), which handles aircraft takeoffs and landings at Newark Liberty International Airport.
Aviation authorities explained, "We temporarily restricted aircraft operations while confirming whether the backup system was functioning properly." This measure was taken with safety as the top priority.
NBC reported, "A 'ground stop' was issued at Newark Airport around 8:15 a.m." Once this measure is implemented, aircraft cannot take off until further instructions.
An aviation authority official told NBC, "The backup system was functioning normally, but we intentionally reduced traffic volume to maintain stability."
According to the flight tracking site FlightAware, more than 80 flights at Newark Airport had been canceled by 6 p.m. that day. Delayed flights also reached around 240.
This incident occurred two weeks after the radar screen freeze and communication loss accident at the Philadelphia control center on the 28th of last month. Large-scale confusion was also observed at that time.
United Airlines, which operates from Newark Airport, reduced its flights by 35 daily following the accident last month. U.S. aviation authorities also promised extensive facility and equipment improvements, but problems recurred in just a fortnight.
Newark International Airport, along with JFK Airport, serves as a gateway connecting New York to major cities around the world. Domestically, Air Premia operates flights to New York from here.