air traffic control

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Pilots Flagged Near Misses Before LaGuardia Crash

'Please do something,' one reportedly told aviation reporting system

(Newser) - Warnings about safety at New York's LaGuardia Airport were stacking up well before Sunday's deadly runway crash that killed two pilots and injured 41 others. Anonymous reports filed to NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System over the past year describe controllers "pushing the line" amid intense traffic...

Controllers Were Handling Odor Issue Before LaGuardia Crash

Audio suggests controllers were juggling a separate United jet emergency beforehand

(Newser) - Just before an Air Canada jet hit a fire truck at LaGuardia Airport on Sunday night, air traffic controllers in the tower were busy managing a separate emergency involving a different plane , newly reviewed audio suggests. The collision killed both Air Canada pilots and shut down the airport for hours....

LaGuardia Controller: 'I Messed Up'
LaGuardia Controller:
'I Messed Up'
Mar 23, 2026 10:53 AM CDT

LaGuardia Controller: 'I Messed Up'

Audio captures frantic warnings before fatal crash between jet and firetruck

(Newser) - The federal investigation into Sunday night's fatal collision between a jet and a firetruck at LaGuardia Airport will take a while to unfold, but investigators will surely be interested in newly released audio capturing the moments before and after the crash. "I messed up," a controller says...

Friday's Commute for DC-Area Fliers Was a Stinky One

Flights at 4 airports serving capital, Baltimore, and Virginia's Richmond grounded due to chemical odor

(Newser) - Four airports serving Washington, DC, as well as Baltimore and Richmond, Virginia, halted all flights on Friday evening for more than an hour due to a strong chemical smell that was impeding air traffic controllers, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. The ground stop affected Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport,...

This Shutdown Isn't Like the Last, but Expect Delays

Air traffic controllers are getting paid, but TSA agents aren't, meaning possible airport holdups

(Newser) - A shutdown of the US Department of Homeland Security that took effect early Saturday impacts the agency responsible for screening passengers and bags at airports across the country. Travelers with airline reservations may be nervously recalling a 43-day government shutdown that led to historic flight cancellations and long delays last...

As Southwest Plane Moved at 103mph, 'Cancel Takeoff!'

Collision between Southwest jet, private prop plane narrowly avoided in San Antonio

(Newser) - A takeoff in San Antonio came to a sudden halt this week when a private plane mistakenly rolled onto an active runway, forcing a Southwest jet to abort at more than 100mph. The incident unfolded on Tuesday afternoon at San Antonio International Airport as Southwest Flight 4996 was accelerating for...

Feds Name Winner of Air Traffic Control Contract

Virginia firm Peraton to replace aging radar, copper wires

(Newser) - The Trump administration has awarded Peraton, a Virginia-based security and technology company, the prime contract to lead a sweeping overhaul of the nation's air traffic control system. The modernization effort, first championed by Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy after a midair collision in Washington, DC, killed 64 people in January,...

Duckworth Takes On 'Divisive' Air Traffic Controller Bonuses

Senator wants all air traffic controllers who worked during shutdown without pay to get $10K perk

(Newser) - The Trump administration's decision to award a $10,000 bonus to just a sliver of air traffic controllers who worked through the government shutdown isn't sitting well with Democratic Sen. Tammy Duckworth. In a letter to Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, Duckworth insists that the Trump administration expand the...

Flying Is Still a Mess as Cancellations Continue

Disruptions expected to continue after government shutdown ends

(Newser) - The flight cancellations at airports across the US are expected to persist even after the government shutdown ends, per the AP . The Federal Aviation Administration has reduced flights as some air traffic controllers—unpaid for weeks—have stopped showing up for work. The Senate took a first step toward ending...

Airlines Cancel Hundreds of Flights Amid Shutdown

FAA order to scale back takes effect at major airports

(Newser) - It's not a great day to be flying, and the snarls may not ease up for awhile. Air travelers across the country faced mounting disruptions Friday as the FAA's order to scale back flights amid the shutdown took effect, reports the Washington Post .
  • The flight-tracking website FlightAware logged
...

FAA Cuts Expected to Cause Thousands of Cancellations

40 airports, including busiest US travel hubs, will be affected

(Newser) - Airports in New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago, along with other hubs across the US, are among the 40 that will see flights cut starting Friday due to the government shutdown, according to a list distributed to the airlines and obtained by the AP . The Federal Aviation Administration announced on...

Southwest Jet, Helicopter Nearly Collide Over Cleveland

The aircraft reportedly came within half a mile of each other

(Newser) - A Southwest Airlines jet making a final approach to Cleveland Hopkins International Airport had a near-miss with a medical helicopter on Wednesday. The National Transportation Safety Board announced an investigation into the incident on Sunday, per USA Today . It said the two aircraft breached the minimum required separation distance, prompting...

'Pressure Is Real' for Air Traffic Controllers, so Airlines Step In

United, Delta, JetBlue donate meals as federal shutdown leaves workers without a paycheck

(Newser) - As the government shutdown drags through its fourth week, air traffic controllers and other federal aviation workers are feeling the pinch after missing their first full paycheck. Now, major airlines like United, Delta, and JetBlue are stepping up to donate meals to unpaid workers at airports nationwide, citing appreciation for...

Air Travel Disruptions Soar as Shutdown Continues

Flights were halted or slowed at major airports over the weekend because of air traffic controller shortages

(Newser) - Air traffic control staffing shortages intensified over the weekend as the government shutdown entered its fourth week. The details:
  • Flights at Los Angeles International Airport were halted temporarily on Sunday because of too few workers at a Southern California air traffic facility, reports CNN .
  • The FAA also slowed traffic at
...

At the FAA, It's Like an Extended 'Drought'

Already-stressed air traffic controllers are seeing staffing shortages as shutdown drags on

(Newser) - As the government shutdown drags on, air travelers at major US airports are experiencing delays due to ongoing staffing problems at the Federal Aviation Administration. According to the FAA, air traffic control worker shortages on Sunday night caused delays at airports in Dallas, Chicago, Atlanta, and Newark, New Jersey, per...

Shutdown Triggers Air Traffic Staffing Crunch at US Airports
Flight Chaos
Continues Amid
Shutdown
UPDATED
Oct 8, 2025 8:14 AM CDT

Flight Chaos Continues Amid Shutdown

3K flights delayed Tuesday amid staffing crunch at US airports

(Newser) - Air traffic staffing shortages caused chaos around the country for a second consecutive day Tuesday, per the New York Times . More than 3,000 flights were delayed, including 225 in Nashville and over 570 at Chicago O'Hare—accounting for 20% or more of flights at those airports, per Reuters...

Passenger Jet Slams on Brakes as Cargo Plane Crosses Runway

Wrong turn leads to snafu involving Boston-bound American Airlines flight at LAX

(Newser) - An American Airlines jet aborting takeoff at Los Angeles International Airport narrowly avoided a serious runway incident late Sunday night. As American Airlines Flight 2453 was accelerating for departure to Boston, a cargo plane—AeroLogic Flight 619, fresh from Shanghai—unexpectedly crossed its path on the runway, reports CNN...

America's Air Traffic Control Revamp Will Cost $31.5B

Department of Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy revealed the figure to House members

(Newser) - America's air traffic control system is on track for a redo, but it won't come cheap. Speaking before Congress Wednesday, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy put the price tag at $31.5 billion—the first time a concrete figure has been given. CNN reports an initial $12.5...

Bomb Threats Briefly Halt Traffic at 6 Canadian Airports

Air traffic control facilities were evacuated

(Newser) - Passengers across Canada faced long delays Thursday after bomb threats were received by air traffic control towers at some of the country's busiest areas. Authorities say threats were received at airports in Ottawa, Montreal, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Calgary, and Vancouver airports early Thursday morning and temporary ground stops were issued,...

FAA: Denver Air Traffic Control Went Down for 90 Seconds

No incidents were reported during the outage, officials say

(Newser) - The latest disturbing air traffic control incident in the US happened in Denver this week. The Federal Aviation Administration revealed Thursday that on Monday afternoon, air traffic control in the area went dark for 90 seconds due to an equipment failure, the Denver Post reports. During this time, pilots lost...

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