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Newark runway reopens 13 days early; FAA and airlines set schedule to raise arrivals to 34 per hour
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Summary
Officials announced that a Newark runway rehabilitation finished 13 days ahead of schedule; the runway is in use for departures and FAA teams will certify it for arrivals in the coming days. Officials said telecom testing and controller training remain before full capacity is restored.
Secretary Sean Duffy and FAA Acting Administrator Chris Rocheleau on Monday announced that a major phase of runway rehabilitation at Newark Liberty International Airport finished 13 days ahead of its original 60‑day schedule and that the runway is being used for departures while FAA teams complete arrival certifications.
The improvement should allow the airport to increase arrival capacity from 28 to 34 flights per hour once FAA technical operations complete flight checks and certify the runway for arrivals, Rocheleau said: “We are actually using the new runway today for departures,” and once certified with the new instrument landing systems “we'll be able to move up to 34 rate arrival per hour.”
Why it matters: The extra runway and the scheduled increase are intended to reduce the day‑long ripple effects that occurred when operations were scheduled above the airport’s practical capacity. United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby said the carriers and the FAA agreed to match schedules to airport capacity to improve reliability; United’s schedules are set to 34 flights per hour starting June 15, Kirby said.
Officials credited a rapid, multi‑agency and contractor effort for the early finish. Port Authority Newark Airport Director Sarah McKeehan thanked Port Authority operations and contractor crews for work “literally, 7 days a week” and noted the Port Authority’s longer‑term investments in the airport, including a $3,000,000,000 project at Terminal A and future AirTrain replacement.
Remaining steps and constraints: The officials identified three remaining constraints that will be addressed on overlapping timelines: (1) FAA certification of the runway for arrivals and flight‑checking of instrument landing systems, (2) completion of a replacement fiber line linking key air‑traffic nodes (now installed by Verizon and undergoing FAA testing), and (3) air‑traffic controller staffing and training at the Philly TRACON that handles Newark airspace.
On the telecom work, Duffy said Verizon laid replacement fiber between the Philly TRACON and the N90 node to replace a degraded line; the line is in testing and the administration hopes to switch it over in late June or early July. On staffing, Duffy described the national controller shortfall and gave local counts at the Philly TRACON: 22 controllers assigned, five supervisors, six of the 22 on leave (leaving 16 active), and multiple controllers in training. He said trainees will be certified and brought online on a rolling basis over the coming months up to about a year, which should steadily reduce operational stress.
What travelers can expect: For the immediate summer period officials said the airport will operate at a 28‑flight per hour baseline until FAA completes arrival certification; airlines have built schedules to 34 per hour beginning June 15 and will monitor operations through October to reassess capacity planning. Scott Kirby added that United will in some cases use larger aircraft and fewer regional jets to maintain seat availability while the schedule is reassessed.
Next steps: FAA technical teams plan flight checks to certify the runway for arrivals in the coming days; carriers and the Port Authority will monitor how the restored runway, the tested fiber link and phased controller certification affect day‑to‑day operations through the summer.
