NEW YORK, May 5 (Xinhua) -- For years, the shortage of certified air traffic controllers in the United States has led to flight disruptions and headaches for travelers across the country, most recently at busy Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey, where staffing issues have led to major delays for an unparalleled seventh day in a row.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on Sunday implemented a Ground Delay Program and flights were delayed an average of almost four hours Sunday evening, according to an advisory from the FAA.
"Multiple accumulating factors seem to have caused the massive delays, including the nationwide air traffic controller shortage," reported CNN on Monday. The closure of a runway for "rehabilitation work," and technology failures caused by outdated equipment were also the reasons, according to Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy.
The control facility responsible for traffic at Newark has been "chronically understaffed for years," said United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby in a Friday message addressing the delays.
Since last Monday, the FAA has cited staffing as the cause of delays, but has not commented officially on the nature of the staffing problems at Newark Airport. ■
