WASHINGTON—The Federal Aviation Administration said a series of issues prompted it to dramatically slow traffic at Newark Liberty Airport on Monday, prompting United Airlines to divert at least 35 flights to other airports.
United Airlines, the largest carrier at the airport just outside New York City, said an FAA equipment malfunction caused a significant disruption, and it expects cancellations and delays for the rest of the day due to FAA staffing issues.
Flights were diverted to numerous airports on the U.S. East Coast. Some diversions involved transoceanic flights from Europe being moved to smaller airports.
The FAA said the issue was first prompted by telecommunications and radar equipment issues at Philadelphia Terminal Radar Approach Control, which guides aircraft in and out of Newark. Both have been resolved, but now there are staffing issues at Philadelphia impacting flights, the FAA said….