An experienced air traffic controller who was by herself during the alarming 90-second power outage at Newark Liberty International Airport now refuses to fly from the travel hub, asserting it’s “only a matter of time” before a “fatal crash” occurs.
The 39-year-old employee confided to The Times that she is too distressed to continue working, currently on stress-related leave, and undergoing psychological assessment following the abrupt blackout that disrupted vital communications at the nation’s second busiest airport around 4 a.m. on May 9. This incident followed a similarly timed outage the previous month and another one in November.
“Do I think it’s safe to fly from or to the airport?” the woman, who spoke to the outlet anonymously, queried.
“To put it plainly: I consciously avoid my own airport when making flight reservations, even if alternative options are more costly and less convenient. If Newark’s air traffic control issues remain unresolved, I fear it’s only a matter of time before there is a fatal collision between two aircraft.”
