Here’s why you should not fly out of Newark until June 15

Over the past few weeks, Newark Airport has been experiencing massive flight delays due to numerous factors, from bad weather and flight delays to equipment failures and construction.

Some of these problems may take months (or years) to resolve, but one is expected to ease a bit by June 15, which will hopefully minimize flight delays at Newark Airport. Here’s what’s causing delays at Newark Airport and why you shouldn’t fly in our out of the airport until at least June 14.

Why are flights delayed in Newark?

As part of this mandatory relocation, dozens of air traffic controllers relocated out of Newark, which led to many of the current problems. Air traffic controllers also briefly lost connection with airplanes, which is a highly stressful and potentially dangerous situation. When this happens, planes cannot fly in or out of the airport, leading to delays.

Because of these stressors, many air traffic controllers walked off the job at Newark Airport, and many took stress-related long-term disability, indicating that they were “traumatized” after losing connection with planes.

What is causing flight delays in Newark?

As mentioned, there are numerous factors causing flight delays in Newark. Here’s a quick sumary:summary

• Air traffic controllers losing connection with planes

• Air traffic controllers walking off the job

When will Newark Airport get better?

Newark Airport won’t get better for a long time because many of the issues it’s facing are long-term problems. You can’t just hire a bunch of air traffic controllers overnight and plop them back over here. However, there is one bright side to all of this that indicates that at least one of the causes of delays at Newark Airport will ease up a bit in June.

If possible, you’ll want to avoid flying in, out of, or through Newark Airport at all costs until at least June 14. By then, not all of the challenges will be addressed, but one major problem should have been resolved.

Runway construction at Newark Airport

Newark Airport only has two main runways, and one of them has been closed since March 1. This runway construction is routine and is part of a $121 million effort to improve infrastructure and comply with Federal Aviation Administration standards.

Though routine, this construction is a chief contributor to the major delays at Newark Airport. See, when an airport only has one single runway, then flights need to both land and take off from that runway, which is extremely inefficient. This inefficiency slows the process both of landing into and taking off, and some passengers have reported spending hours on the tarmac.

Between March 1 and April 14, this airport construction only took place on the weekends, during periods when there were fewer flights. Essentially, the Newark Airport runway construction was planned around times when there were fewer flights, thus fewer passengers should have been impacted.

However, beginning on April 14, this construction became full-time, taking place every day, meaning that there is never a time when there are two operational runways at Newark Airport.

Why you shouldn’t fly in or out of Newark Airport until June 15

With over 1,000 scheduled arrivals and departures every day, having only one runway is contributing to the Newark Airport meltdown. However, this stage of runway construction is expected to continue only through June 15. As such, to avoid delays (hopefully), avoid flying into, out of, or through Newark Airport at all costs until June 15.

Getting back to having two operational runways will definitely improve efficiency at the airport. However, it’s not the complete end of runway construction. From September 1, through the end of the year, the runway will close again from 11 p.m. Friday until 5 a.m. Sunday.

So, to avoid times when you’ll have to deal with flight delays at Newark Airport, you may be better off flying out of other airports through June 15, and after September 1. Planning a family trip to a fun, affordable Midwestern city or a once-in-a-lifetime European summer vacation? You may want to fly out of JFK or LaGuardia instead.