Another ground stop at Newark Liberty International left travelers facing a new wave of cancellations and hourslong delays at the New Jersey airport on Sunday. This disruption follows weeks of chaos marked by air traffic communication issues and staffing shortages.
While waiting areas, makeshift chairs and benches were emptier this weekend compared to the crowds of stranded passengers last week, outages on both Friday and Sunday left travelers grappling with the lingering effects.
Akash Gupta had his travel plans completely upended on Saturday when his flight to Indianapolis was delayed six hours. He passed the time chatting with his wife over a video call and doodling on some paper.
“I’m comfortable with flying, but I’m experiencing this kind of delay for the first time,” Gupta told NBC News.
Your flight is delayed — now what?
The first action delayed passengers should take is to look for alternative flights, advises Sean Cudahy, a senior aviation reporter for travel website The Points Guy. When checking for alternatives, he recommends not to wait for the perfect solution.
“If you see even a halfway decent option, grab it, book it, and a lot of time the airline will let you keep making changes,” Cudahy said.
To contact an airline for rebooking or to explore more options, airline apps or live chat functions are often more efficient than waiting in long customer service lines. NBC News aviation analyst John Cox recommends the flight-tracking app Flighty for real-time updates.
Cox recommends taking advantage of frequent flyer perks. Many airlines have agents dedicated to rebooking frequent flyers, making them easier to reach.
“From a passenger standpoint, it’s understand what you want,” Cox said. “Be polite, be nice, but understand that you need to get your business taken care of and let the agent move on to somebody to help somebody else.”
The Department of Transportation ruled last year that airlines are required to quickly give cash refunds to passengers with canceled or severely delayed flights. The refunds, however, only apply to passengers who book with a different airline or opt for another mode of travel, not to those who accept a rebooking with the original airline.
Travelers should also review the airline’s rebooking and refund policies in advance, said a spokesperson for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which operates the Newark airport.
“We originally were supposed to come here on United today, but it was canceled about five or six days ago, and they did refund our money,” said Judy Davenport, who was traveling through Newark this weekend. She and her husband ended up booking a separate Delta flight to make their connection to Paris.
While waiting out a delay at Newark, travelers have several options for passing time or grabbing a bite to eat before the security lines. Each terminal at the airport offers seating for passengers before and after their TSA screening.
“Go early and get your seat, get food, but then move on,” Cox tells delayed travelers, encouraging them to let others have access to the amenities as well. He also advises to be cautious of alcohol consumption in a high-stress environment.
Being proactive for upcoming flights
Travelers scheduled to fly into or out of Newark in the coming weeks can take proactive steps to manage their flight plans.
United Airlines, one of the most affected carriers at Newark with hundreds of canceled flights, is offering waivers for change fees or fare differences through May 23, with the option to fly through LaGuardia Airport in New York City or Philadelphia instead. Cudahy warns that other airports will offer fewer flight options than United’s Newark hub.
Alaska Airlines has flexible travel policies covering original travel dates through Sunday, and JetBlue is offering waivers through the end of May.
To prepare for a delay, Cox advises packing necessary medication, one night’s worth of clothes and toiletries in a carry-on bag in case luggage is disrupted and checked bags end up in another location.
Cudahy also suggests bringing extra batteries and chargers, an empty reusable water bottle to minimize food court costs and games or entertainment if traveling with young children.
The experts also remind travelers to follow the 3-1-1 rule for easier passage through security: 3.4-ounce liquid containers in one clear quart-sized bag, with one bag per passenger.
Having proper documentation ready to present, especially with new REAL ID requirements, will help streamline the process, Cox said.
What’s next for Newark?
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said on NBC News’ “Meet the Press” Sunday that while Newark is facing telecom issues and experiencing glitches in the software, it will be “up and running in short order.”
Duffy said Newark will experience “reduced capacity” in the coming weeks, a move that United CEO Scott Kirby has openly called for.
For those planning to book travel out of Newark soon, Cudahy advises looking for direct flights.
“If you’re nonstop, you are going to get there eventually, as long as your flight doesn’t get canceled,” Cudahy said.
Cudahy recommends using a credit card that includes travel insurance to purchase plane tickets. If travelers face delays or cancellations, they can get reimbursed for expenses like meals or hotel rooms caused by travel disruptions.
While many airlines offer their own insurance, it typically does not cover circumstances outside of the airline’s control, such as weather or air traffic control-related issues. Cudahy suggests looking at the airline’s insurance policy to see what is covered, and then shopping around with third-party travel insurers to compare costs.
Duffy reassured travelers that flying out of Newark — and in American airspace in general — remains safe. There are policies and procedures in place for dealing with such incidents. But he does have concerns about the antiquated technology and systems used.
The recent aviation troubles have prompted the Federal Aviation Administration to release a three-year plan to modernize the system.
“We’re seeing stress on an old network, and it’s time to fix it,” Duffy said.
