Newark Airport is facing a series of severe disruptions due to ongoing air traffic control issues, including staffing shortages and technical failures. Recent reports indicate that the FAA has significantly capped flights, reducing them by 25% and implementing strict limits on the number of departures and arrivals each hour to mitigate congestion. Air traffic controllers have expressed concerns that the minimum staffing levels are compromising safety, with some warning that it may only be a matter of time before a serious incident occurs. The situation has led to a decrease in passenger traffic and has prompted airlines to reconsider their routes, with American Airlines noting a shift in traveler preferences away from Newark. Despite these challenges, the FAA continues to investigate the root causes, which include an aging air traffic control system and recent outages that have plagued operations at the airport.