Newark Outages Expose Air Traffic Control Crisis — What to Know About the Fix

As disruptions at Newark continue to mount, outdated technology and an acute air traffic controller shortage are receiving increased attention from Washington.

After a string of disruptions out of Newark Liberty International Airport and a fatal plane crash near Washington, D.C., the nation’s aging air traffic control system is receiving new scrutiny.

The airline industry has long struggled with outdated technology and staffing shortages, but the problem came to a head last week after Newark experienced multiple outages.

There are just 10,800 air traffic controllers — around 3,000 short of the Federal Aviation Administration’s staffing goal, according to the National Air Traffic Controllers Association.

The Federal Aviation Administration is now slated to meet with major carriers on Wednesday to discuss restricting the number of flights out of Newark. Here’s what you need to know:

Newark is one of the most congested airports in the U.S. and often faces disruptions. In an effort to ease some of that congestion, the FAA moved air traffic controllers responsible for Newark from Long Island to Philadelphia last year.

On April 28, air traffic controllers who guide planes in and out of Newark faced an o