Newark Liberty International Airport resumed inbound flights Thursday after the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) canceled a ground stop triggered by an equipment issue that disrupted radio communications.
The halt, which lasted roughly two hours, forced dozens of flights bound for Newark to be held at their origin airports, sparking cascading delays just ahead of the busy Labor Day travel weekend.
According to the FAA, the disruption stemmed from a telecom-related problem affecting the Philadelphia Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON), which manages traffic for the New York–New Jersey airspace. While the immediate issue has been resolved, delays remain widespread.
As of Thursday evening, more than 170 flights were affected, with average arrival delays hovering at over two hours, according to FAA data.
A Traffic Management Program remains in place, spacing flights about 20 miles apart and temporarily reducing arrival capacity to around 28 flights per hour.
Travelers are being advised to check with airlines before heading to the airport, as ripple effects could extend into the weekend.
The incident adds to Newark’s ongoing operational challenges, which include staffing shortages and capacity restrictions already imposed by the FAA to ease congestion at one of the nation’s busiest hubs.
While the ground stop is over, passengers should brace for extended wait times and possible cancellations as airlines work to reset schedules.
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