Is air traffic out of control?

Newark airport had thousands of delays and cancellations due to air traffic control blackouts. DOT Sec. Sean Duffy says FAA needs major upgrades and efforts to recruit staff.

Air Date: May 15, 2025 12:00 pm

FILE - In this photo taken from the window of an American Airlines aircraft, the Air Traffic control tower at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport is shown, June 7, 2021, in Arlington, Va. (AP Photo/Jenny Kane, File)

Thousands of flights were cancelled and delayed recently at Newark Liberty International Airport because of air traffic control blackouts. Controllers have lost radar tracking planes overhead for more than 90 seconds, causing panic and chaos in the sky.

Air traffic control systems are shockingly outdated – copper wires from the 1970s, data stored on floppy disks and paper notes. As the archaic technology causes lags at airports around the country, severe staffing shortages continue to plague the system, leaving many travelers feeling uneasy about flying.

FAA officials testified in front of a U.S. Senate committee Wednesday that a new task force will address the problems “as soon as possible.” But with the enormity of our airspace network and the long list of overdue upgrades, is it too late – or too big – to finally fix?

On this episode of Studio 2, a look at the country’s concerning air traffic control system.

Guests:

Amy Wilder, Writer at Aviation International News. She’s also a pilot.

Todd Yeary, Former air traffic controller

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