The recurring radar and communication outages at Newark Liberty International Airport are both alarming and destabilizing, and Friday’s blackout is the latest disruption that compromises public safety and undermines trust in our air traffic, a trio of state lawmakers said.
“While we recognize the Federal Aviation Administration’s incremental steps toward modernization, including fiber optic upgrades and workforce expansion, the pace and scope of improvements must match the urgency of the situation,” Senate Majority Leader M. Teresa Ruiz and Assemblymembers Eliana Pintor Marin and Shanique Speight, all Democrats, said in a joint statement. “These outages should not become our new normal.
“As representatives of the legislative district that includes Newark Liberty International Airport, we strongly support Governor Murphy’s call for immediate federal attention and action,” they added. “The U.S. Department of Transportation must make this airspace a top priority. Newark Liberty International Airport is not just a regional asset – it is an international one. The people of New Jersey, and the millions who pass through this airport, deserve nothing less than a safe, reliable, and fully functional system.”
On Thursday, President Donald Trump and Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy unveiled a plan to overhaul the nation’s air traffic control system.
