FAA wants to continue limited operations at Newark Airport until October 2026
The Federal Aviation Administration wants to extend limited operations at Newark Liberty International Airport through next fall.
Originally, the plan was to cut back on arrivals and departures through the end of this year in an attempt to reduce congestion, delays and cancellations, but in a proposal announced Friday, the FAA suggested changing the end date to Oct. 24, 2026.
Flights in and out of Newark Airport limited after delays, cancellations
The FAA started limiting operations at the beginning of the summer as staffing shortages, equipment glitches and runway construction resulted in dozens of flights being canceled and delayed daily for over a week.
In June, the FAA issued an order that limited the number of flights at Newark to a total of 68 per hour daily through Oct. 25, 2025, and 56 per hour during construction periods on weekends from Sept. 1, 2025, through Dec. 31, 2025.
FAA records show Newark usually is able to handle over 70 flights per hour, weather permitting.
Staffing problems continue at Newark Airport, FAA says
In the new proposal, the FAA says they believe the order needs to be extended because there are still some staffing deficiencies and long-term solutions are needed.
Under the extension, Newark would be allowed 72 flights per hour outside of construction periods from Oct. 26, 2025, through Oct. 24, 2026.
Airlines and other interested parties have one week to comment on the proposal.
The FAA says some improvements have been made to operations at Newark in recent months, including transitioning to a new fiber optic communications network and increased controller staffing.
