Newark, NJ - Newark Airport is in chaos—and it’s not because of the weather. It’s because of a dangerously broken air traffic system that’s finally getting the spotlight, thanks to Senator Chuck Schumer, who called out the FAA and demanded answers on behalf of frustrated travelers caught in gridlock.
“We’re not going to let Newark become a place where people expect delays,” Schumer said at a press conference on-site. “This is unacceptable and must be fixed immediately.”
According to CBS News, the FAA currently has only 19 certified air traffic controllers assigned to Newark Liberty International Airport. That’s less than half of what’s required to manage the volume of flights safely and efficiently.
Meanwhile, over 1,200 flights were delayed and over 300 canceled this past weekend alone. Passengers reported sleeping in terminals, missing family events, and being forced to rebook at their own expense—many of them Black and brown travelers using Newark as their main point of access to the Northeast corridor.
“Who’s Running the Skies?” – Enter Sean Duffy vs. the Pentagon
While Schumer was blasting the FAA on the ground, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy took a flamethrower to the Department of Defense during a segment on Fox News’ The Ingraham Angle. His target? Pentagon personnel using helicopters for short-range trips—causing commercial planes to abort landings and reroute in real-time.
According to Aaron Parnas’ Substack, the chaos erupted when a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter was allowed priority airspace access over Washington D.C., forcing two commercial flights—Delta and Republic Airways—to perform emergency “go-arounds” near Reagan National Airport.
This incident comes just three months after a fatal midair collision involving a Black Hawk that killed 67 people.
“The question becomes, who are the VIPs?” Duffy pressed. “The top brass at the White House take Suburbans. Why are these generals flying helicopters to meetings like it’s Uber Black?”
When host Laura Ingraham challenged Duffy on why the FAA didn’t know who was on board, Duffy replied:
“We asked the DOD. They won’t tell us. But the public deserves transparency.”
“The DOD promised radical transparency,” Duffy added, taking a direct shot at Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
Why This Matters to Us
Newark Liberty is not just a travel hub—it’s a lifeline for millions of Black and brown families traveling between NYC, Jersey, Philly, and the South. The chaos caused by understaffing and bureaucratic turf wars isn’t just bad policy—it’s a direct threat to our ability to move freely, safely, and equally.
When the FAA fails to staff Newark properly, and when Pentagon air traffic displaces commercial flights with zero accountability, it’s not just mismanagement—it’s a sign of whose movement is prioritized in this country, and whose isn’t.
Kin+ Demands:
Immediate federal funding to fully staff Newark Liberty with the required number of certified controllers.
Full transparency from the DOD on VIP helicopter use and its impact on commercial airspace.
Public accountability hearings from the FAA and DOT before summer travel season begins.
What You Can Do:
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