Flights at Teterboro, Essex County and Morristown airports witnessed flight delays ranging from 30 minutes to two hours and many route diversions.
Flights to and from Newark Liberty International Airport were disrupted on Monday due to an FAA equipment outage. Departing flights were temporarily grounded, while incoming aircraft were placed in holding patterns or diverted to alternate airports, according to multiple reports.
A screenshot shared on X by Jersey Coast Emergency News showed a United Airlines flight to Los Angeles—Flight 1321—circling over New Jersey before preparing for an emergency return to Newark. The flight had initially departed from the same airport.
Airport officials confirmed the disruption on X, stating that the delays were caused by an FAA telecommunications and equipment issue affecting Philadelphia TRACON, the facility responsible for guiding aircraft in and out of Newark.
The outage led to widespread confusion among travelers. One father waiting to receive his daughter, who was flying in from Dublin, learned her flight had been diverted to Hartford, Connecticut. “The board just lit up—everything got delayed, diverted, canceled. I don’t know what’s going on,” he said.
United Airlines alone reported 35 diversions. Passengers were advised to monitor flight status updates closely.
Although the technical issues have now been resolved, FAA officials noted that staffing shortages at Philadelphia TRACON continue to affect flight operations.
