RALEIGH, N.C. (WPTF) — Ongoing issues with outdated technology and staffing shortages continue to disrupt operations at Newark Liberty International Airport, and officials are now exploring short-term solutions to ease the impact ahead of the busy summer travel season.
Aviation Analyst Jay Ratliff says one proposed measure includes increasing the spacing between arriving flights to help reduce delays.
Aviation Analyst Jay Ratliff | RSS.com
“But imagine if you were United Airlines and that’s one of your hubs,” said Ratliff. “The FAA shows up and says ‘Hey, I know you’re planning on making this much money through your profitable hub, but because we haven’t really upgraded technology in about 58 years and we don’t have enough air traffic controllers, you’re going to have to accept reduced revenue.’”
According to Forbes, major U.S. airlines met with Federal Aviation Administration officials this week to discuss potentially capping the number of flights at Newark. The talks come after weeks of severe disruptions caused by equipment failures and a shortage of air traffic controllers.
Ratliff points to decades of inaction from lawmakers as a root cause of the current situation.
“And all those useless people in Washington D.C. started pointing at the President who had only been in office a few weeks,” said Ratliff. “You guys are the ones for 30 or 40 years who’ve done nothing to upgrade this technology, and you have the audacity to point your finger—of course you do—at somebody else.”
According to The New York Times, the FAA announced it will begin limiting the number of hourly arrivals at Newark Airport starting May 28. Meanwhile, 6ABC Philadelphia reports the FAA is also pursuing technical repairs and a broader plan to manage air traffic with fewer available controllers.
Ratliff says an aggressive, coordinated solution—similar in urgency to the Manhattan Project—may be the only path forward.
“[If we’re] all hands on deck for [the next] two or three years, we can knock this out,” said Ratliff.
As federal officials work to address flight delays and air traffic issues, Boeing is facing renewed scrutiny over its legal troubles. The company is seeking to withdraw its guilty plea in a criminal fraud case stemming from two fatal crashes involving its 737 Max aircraft.
“All those years ago, we had two horrific crashes where 346 people died, and they finally reached an agreement where Boeing last year agreed to plead guilty to defraud,” said Ratliff.
According to CNN, some families of the crash victims have called on the Department of Justice to reject Boeing’s effort and push for a trial instead.
Ratliff believes the political shift in Washington may impact how the case proceeds.
“I knew one thing—the Trump administration is very aviation friendly,” said Ratliff. “And all of the things that the Biden administration did to hold airlines accountable, which I was so thankful for, was going to stop. Sadly, I think that this thing could actually happen. What will probably happen is they will be allowed to walk back the guilty plea if they pay more money.”
CNBC reports Boeing’s original plea agreement was tied to a 2021 deal with the DOJ, which the company is now seeking to modify.
Ratliff says the move is likely devastating for the families seeking justice.
“Because they want justice, and we’re not getting anything close to that because of the games that are being played here,” said Ratliff. “What a horrible way to tarnish the memories of those that were lost.”
According to TheLayoff.com, the victims’ families have spent years demanding a public trial and harsher penalties for Boeing and its executives.