Newark Liberty International Airport, located in New Jersey, has a reputation for being problematic. During my time working in New Jersey, I found it to be the most dysfunctional airport I’ve encountered in over ten years of traveling for corporate consultancy. Many of the escalators were out of order, elevators were non-functional, and cleanliness was lacking. Although United Airlines’ concourse, which serves as their primary East Coast hub, was revamped and appeared modern and pleasant, the remainder of the airport was in poor condition.

Now, an air-traffic controller is warning travelers to avoid Newark.

Newark Liberty International Airport is “not safe” for travelers, one air traffic controller at the delay-plagued travel hub reportedly warned.

A federal air safety officer reportedly informed NBC News correspondent Tom Costello, “It is not secure. Right now, it’s not a safe situation for travelers.”

“It’s a remarkable claim, made spontaneously. He just told me, and also distinctly advised, ‘Avoid flying into Newark. Steer clear of Newark by all means,’” Costello shared on MSNBC.

The airport, which served 49 million travelers in 2024 and is the second busiest in the New York City area, has been drowning in delays and cancellations for days.

It’s an incredible statement indeed. A major airport in the United States of America, deemed unsafe by an air traffic controller who works there. 

Newark Liberty seems to be shedding air traffic controllers.

Newark has lost 20% of its air controllers in recent weeks, according to United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby, who issued a statement Friday claiming they had “walked off the job.”

The situation has grown so dire that United Airlines — which uses the airport as its primary East Coast hub — announced it was cancelling 35 roundtrip flights daily, saying it was necessary “in order to protect our customers.”

“This particular air traffic control facility has been chronically understaffed for years and without these controllers, it‘s now clear — and the FAA tells us — that Newark airport cannot handle the number of planes that are scheduled to operate there in the weeks and months ahead,” Kirby said.

This raises the question: How many other airports are in the same situation?