US Transportation Secretary Duffy Warns of Summer Air Travel Trouble

The U.S. Secretary of Transportation, Sean Duffy, is warning Americans that the technical issues that led to hundreds of canceled and delayed flights at Newark Liberty International Airport this past weekend won’t be the last—and that they could very well impact another airport. 

“What you see in Newark is going to happen in other places across the country,” said Duffy, as reported by ABC News. “It has to be fixed. I’m concerned about the whole airspace.” 

Newark has been beset with technical issues since April 28, when over 1,000 flights were canceled following a technical issue that briefly paralyzed air traffic control.

More recently, on Sunday, May 11,  a smaller telecommunications failure at a nearby air traffic control center led to delays at the airport. 

Duffy isn't wrong. On the same day, the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport experienced an equipment outage at its air traffic control center, causing delays for both inbound and outbound traffic. A brief ground stop was issued for all incoming flights during the mid-morning. 

Just last week, the Department of Transportation announced a new three-year plan to overhaul the technology that the American aviation industry relies upon for safety and reliability. However, Duffy acknowledged that the plan currently has no funding, as Congress must approve and appropriate the funds to modernize the system.

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