Just when travelers thought Newark Airport was getting back to normal, another blackout grounded flights—this time on Mother’s Day morning.
And while passengers were left frustrated by delays and cancellations, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy is urging calm, saying the airport is still safe despite the string of recent incidents.
Mother’s Day Meltdown Raises New Concerns
It all happened early Sunday. Flights in and out of Newark Liberty International Airport were brought to a screeching halt because of yet another technical failure—this time tied to a telecommunications issue.
The FAA quickly implemented a ground stop that lasted around 45 minutes.
This wasn’t a one-off. It followed two similar radar and radio outages that each lasted 90 seconds, occurring on April 28 and again on May 9.
Though those events were brief, they rattled nerves, especially among frequent flyers.
Thankfully, Friday’s radar blackout hit at 3:55 a.m., a time when air traffic is light.
But the near-miss had many wondering—just how safe is Newark really?
Duffy Stands Firm: Newark Remains Safe
Speaking on NBC’s Meet the Press, Secretary Duffy—President Trump’s transportation chief—stood firm.
“I fly out of Newark all the time,” he said. “My family flies out of Newark.”
His message: despite the scary headlines, trained controllers and pilots have solid emergency procedures in place to handle these issues safely.
When asked directly if Newark is still safe to fly from, Duffy didn’t flinch: “It is.”
But the System Is Old—And That’s a Problem
Despite his reassurances, Duffy didn’t sugarcoat the reality: America’s air traffic control infrastructure is badly outdated.
In fact, he admitted that when certain parts break down, the government has to hunt them down on eBay because they’re no longer in production.
“We’re dealing with copper wires,” Duffy explained, “not high-speed fiber.
This is old tech we’re working with, and it’s starting to show.”
He called for a massive infrastructure overhaul, saying it could take three to four years and will need serious funding from Congress.
Cutting Back Flights for Safety
Until those upgrades are made, Duffy admitted that scaling back flights is the only responsible move.
“One hundred percent,” he said when asked if the number of planes flying into and out of Newark needs to be reduced.
Fewer flights may mean more delays and congestion, but Duffy said safety has to come first.
“I hate delays. I hate cancellations,” he shared. “But I’d rather slow things down than risk people’s lives.”
It’s Bigger Than Newark—It’s a National Wake-Up Call
While the spotlight is on Newark now, Duffy made it clear this isn’t just a New Jersey issue—it’s a national one.
The aging equipment and fragile systems are putting stress on the entire U.S. airspace network.
“This is an American issue,” he said. “We need to make it a congressional priority.”
Looking Ahead
As travelers deal with mounting frustration at Newark and beyond, Duffy’s message is clear: yes, it’s safe to fly—but only because the people behind the scenes know how to handle these crises.
Still, the system can’t rely on duct tape and quick fixes forever.