All Newark Air Control Will Be Handled By One Fully Qualified Person During Busiest Time Monday: Report

All air control at Newark Liberty International Airport will be handled by one fully qualified person during the airport's busiest hours on Monday, adding a cause of concern to the chaotic situation unfolding at the New Jersey hub.

The New York Post reported that only one fully qualified person along with a trainee will operate all flights arriving and departing between 6:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. The standard requirement for such shifts is 15 people.

An air controller told the outlet that the situation amounts to "pure insanity" and that up to 180 planes are scheduled to take off and land at the airport. Newark was actually facing the prospect of no one showing up but a controller on his day off agreed to cover the evening shift. The controller told the outlet a similar situation took place on Sunday, and that only two people were on for the night shift.

"If you get below half of that standard, so seven, your safety begins to be compromised and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) knows that. So what they'll do is put out ground stop delays and that's what we're seeing across the country," the controller said.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy gave a press conference at the airport, acknowledging the challenges but placing the blame on the Joe Biden administration. "I think it is clear that the blame belongs with the last administration. Joe Biden did nothing to fix the system they knew was broke."

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will meet with airlines on Wednesday to discuss reducing the amount of flights at Newark.

The possibility comes as incidents mount at the airport, with three outages being reported in the past two weeks. Last Friday air controllers lost contact for about 90 seconds. Last week an unidentified air controller told MSNBC that "it is not a safe situation right now for the flying public" to fly out of Newark. "He just said that to me, and separately: 'Don't fly into Newark. Avoid Newark at all costs,'" the controller told the network's Tom Costello.

Officials have vowed to overhaul the country's air traffic control system, which handles over 45,000 daily flights. Transportation Secretary Duffy is requesting several billions of dollars to do so. He said such sums are necessary even though over $14 billion have been invested in upgrades since 2003.

"We are on it. We are going to fix it. We are going to build a brand new system for all of you and your families and the American people," Duffy said. The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee said last week the cost to modernize the system could cost $12.5 billion, but Duffy estimates his project will be more expensive.