During a speech at the Transportation Department, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy criticized the outdated state of the U.S. air traffic system. He called for the Senate to approve the Big Beautiful Bill, which includes $12.5 billion designated for modernizing the system.
Duffy specifically highlighted the challenges at Newark International Airport in New Jersey. There, obsolete infrastructure and understaffing have resulted in disruptions such as radar and telecom failures.
“Our air traffic control system is severely outdated, with some components ranging from 25 to 40 years old,” Duffy explained. “It is crucial that we start fresh with a completely new system. This is why we urgently need Congress to take action.”
Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy speaks during a news conference to provide a status update on Newark Liberty International Airport at the Department of Transportation in Washington, Wednesday, May 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Rod Lamkey, Jr., left and Spencer Platt/Getty Images, right. )
Additionally, only 16 of the 27 people at Philadelphia TRACON, which controls Newark’s airspace, are working due to trauma leave and medical leave, Duffy said. Five of the 27 are supervisors.
He said that 16 controllers are in training and will be deployed over the coming months.
A United plane is parked at the gate at Newark Liberty International Airport in Newark, New Jersey on May 7, 2025. ( Kena Betancur / AFP)
“We normally run 50–54 departures an hour at Newark. That’s now down to 28 an hour due to staffing,” Duffy said.
“When the runway reopens June 15, we’ll bump that up to 34 an hour and reassess again in October once more controllers are certified.”
There is currently a shortage of 3,000 air traffic controllers across the U.S., Duffy said but he insisted the system is safe.
Some have asked is the airspace safe? Is it space to try to travel by airplane?” Duffy retorted. “And the answer to that is absolutely yes,” he said.
