Newark ground stop after radio outage delays arrivals

Published on Aug 29, 2025, 11:20 am CDT

5 min read

A radio frequency outage on August 28 briefly halted arriving flights into Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR), prompting the FAA to issue a short ground stop, then slow the inbound flow. Departures largely continued, but average arrival delays stretched to roughly two hours as recovery programs kicked in, and some airlines reported knock-on schedule impacts into the evening. The FAA reduced Newark's arrival rate to about 28 aircraft per hour while crews investigated, and Teterboro Airport (TEB) arrivals were also paused during the incident. Travelers with tight connections through EWR should review options in their airline's Manage Booking tool.

Key Points

Why it matters: A brief communications failure triggered a Newark ground stop that cascaded into systemwide delays.
Travel impact: Average arrival delays topped 1 hour 50 minutes in the afternoon recovery window.
What's next: Downstream rotations may run late into August 29 as aircraft and crews reposition.
FAA cut EWR's arrival rate to about 28 per hour during recovery to stabilize traffic.
Teterboro arrivals were also held while radio issues were addressed.

Snapshot

On August 28, controllers briefly lost several radio frequencies serving EWR airspace, leading the FAA to stop inbound flights for roughly an hour, then meter arrivals at a reduced rate. Reuters reported the halt lasted about 75 minutes with average arrival delays of 158 minutes as operations resumed. FAA's NAS Status later reflected a Ground Delay Program with equipment-outage notation and average delays near two hours. Departures generally continued, but the inbound pinch created misconnect risks and late-night arrivals. Similar communications glitches hit Newark in spring 2025, and the airport's approach control has been handled by Philadelphia TRACON since 2024. Travelers should proactively rebook tight connections and monitor crewed equipment swaps.

Background

Newark has faced multiple ATC technology disruptions in 2025 that forced pauses or reduced arrival rates while backup systems engaged. In April and May, telecommunications and audio problems at the Philadelphia TRACON Area C, which sequences Newark arrivals and departures, triggered brief outages and subsequent ground stops. Those events prompted FAA flight-volume adjustments at EWR during peak periods to preserve safety margins and reduce knock-on delays. Against that backdrop, the August 28 event followed the same playbook, with an initial inbound stop, then metering at a lower arrival acceptance rate to decongest arrival fixes and final approach. By late afternoon, FAA advisories showed sustained recovery delays due to the equipment issue designation. Although airlines can generally absorb short ATC interruptions, the timing near a holiday period amplifies misconnects, crew timeouts, and aircraft positioning challenges, which can spill into the next day's schedule.

Latest Developments

FAA slows EWR arrivals to 28 per hour after Newark ground stop

The FAA confirmed a temporary ground stop for arriving flights around 1130 a.m. to 1230 p.m. Eastern, followed by traffic management initiatives that reduced Newark's inbound flow to about 28 arrivals per hour. Networks reported controllers spacing arrivals roughly 20 miles in trail as systems stabilized. By mid-afternoon, FAA's NAS Status showed a Ground Delay Program citing an equipment outage with average delays near two hours. Media outlets in the New York market also noted Teterboro arrivals were paused during the radio-frequency disruption. While departures were less affected, airlines began rolling delays and reaccommodation for passengers with tight or misconnecting itineraries. The FAA said it is investigating the cause. Carriers advised checking Manage Booking tools for same-day options or standby, especially for late-evening banks and first-morning connections on August 29.

Analysis

The mechanics of this disruption show how a single-point communications failure can ripple through a complex, capacity-constrained airspace. Newark's normal peak arrival rate can exceed 40 per hour, but sustained metering to 28 per hour quickly builds airborne holding and gate holds upstream, elongating taxi-out times and pushing crews toward duty limits. Even after a one-hour stop ends, recovery requires hours of sequencing and spacing, which is why passengers saw multi-hour inbound delays in the afternoon. Because United Airlines concentrates connecting traffic at EWR, aircraft and crews on delayed inbounds can miss their next rotations, creating a rolling wave of lateness on short-haul spokes and overnight turns.

Context matters. Newark's approach environment is among the busiest and least forgiving in the United States, and 2025 has brought repeated telecom and audio issues at the Philadelphia TRACON that manages EWR arrivals and departures. FAA has already used traffic caps and flow programs to stabilize performance. When radios misbehave, controllers switch to backups, then traffic managers reduce acceptance rates to maintain safe separation until confidence returns. That conservative posture lengthens delays but contains systemic risk.

For travelers, the playbook is straightforward. Proactively move off razor-thin connections, opt into automatic rebooking notifications, and leverage same-day change tools. If a long delay threatens a misconnect, ask agents to protect you on the next viable itinerary before you land. For early-morning departures on August 29, allow extra buffer time, since aircraft and crews may not be where schedules expect them to be.

Final Thoughts

Thursday's outage was brief, but the timing and airspace complexity magnified its impact. As FAA investigates, metering to 28 arrivals per hour helped stabilize operations while inevitably prolonging delays. Expect lingering effects into August 29, especially on regional spokes and tight transcontinental connections that rely on precise aircraft and crew flows. Use your airline's app to watch for gate or time changes, consider voluntary rebooking if your layover is under one hour, and keep essentials in your carry-on in case of an unplanned overnight. With prudent planning, you can minimize downstream headaches from the Newark ground stop.