by Lacey Pfalz
Last updated: 9:00 AM ET, Mon May 19, 2025
The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration proposed a reduced arrival rate at New Jersey’s Newark Liberty International Airport in a meeting with major airlines last week in an effort to prevent more delays and cancellations at the airport in the weeks and months to come.
The proposed plan would impose a maximum arrival rate at Newark of 28 aircraft an hour until the runway construction of Runway 4-Left/22-Right. Construction crews are working on the runway each day through June 15, 2025 and then every Saturday until the end of the year.
The maximum arrival rate outside of the daily construction period would be 34 aircraft an hour until October 25, 2025.
The plan is yet to be finalized, but the final arrival rate at Newark will be determined on or after May 28.
The meeting, held between Acting FAA Administrator Chris Rocheleau and airline representatives, was held May 16-18. Representatives included those from United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, JetBlue Airways, American Airlines, Alaska Airlines, Spirit Airlines and Allegiant Air.
This reduction in service out of Newark follows several weeks of technological and construction disruptions that gained worldwide attention for causing thousands of delays and flight cancellations, and brought air staffing shortages and the U.S. traffic control technology weaknesses to the attention of millions.
The FAA is working to hire more air traffic controllers for the region and are planning to introduce upgrades that would strengthen air traffic technology.
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