An exclusive report by the New York Post claims that on Monday evening between 18:30 to 21:30, flights out of Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) were handled by just one air traffic controller and a trainee. The report quotes a New York-based controller describing the situation as “pure insanity.” It also noted that an FAA spokesperson said that there were at least three controllers scheduled for each hour on Monday night but did not clarify how many of them were fully certified personnel.
The New York Times reported something similar, adding that four people familiar with the situation said that the number of fully certified controllers on duty to manage Newark’s air traffic was sometimes one or two. These figures are shocking because the target number of controllers for Newark to manage traffic in those hours is around 14-15.
What air space do they use though? I grew up in Chicago and the air traffic controllers controlled all of the airports, O’Hare, Midway, etc. The actual controllers were in a far off suburb. Since Jersey and New York are close by, I bet they control a lot of the periphery of New York or maybe work together.
My good friend’s dad in college was an air traffic controller. Alcoholism is a side effect due to the stress. They thought it was great pay, but not necessarily worth it.
TEB is on site, EWR (Newark) is out of Philly.
I think JFK and LGA are local to those, JFK being in Queens and LGA in Flushing, been awhile for me.
The approach for TEB with the smaller jets is out of the way of the big boys.
FFS, you’re right. https://www.faa.gov/newsroom/faa-commissions-new-air-traffic-control-tower-teterboro-airport
The only thing is, this is happening all over the country and they have to fly in to somewhere. So does their family. There aren’t airports all over the country like that, right? Or is there a network of asshole billionaire airports everywhere.