According to the New York Post, a blackout on April 28 for air traffic controllers overseeing Newark led to many workers taking trauma leave, exacerbating its staff shortage. In addition, a Newark Airport runway is closed for “rehabilitation work” leaving the airport with only one functioning runway.

Staff shortages and equipment failures at Newark Liberty International Airport have raised safety concerns in recent weeks.

Because of the way airline networks are structured – particularly at United Airlines, which runs a major hub at Newark – delays and cancellations at that airport can have knock-on effects on flights scheduled to use the same planes later in the day on other routes.

But for the airline, the timing of the chaos is particularly ... itself in a bind as a result of its move to consolidate operations at Newark and exit JFK in 2016. Munoz, who served as the ...