Newark flights delayed nearly 160 minutes

The Federal Aviation Administration put Newark Liberty International Airport under a ground delay program on Wednesday, May 20, as thunderstorms moved across the region and disrupted traffic at major Northeast hubs. FAA status data showed Newark averaging 2 hours and 39 minutes of ground delay, with departure delays ranging from 1 hour and 1 minute to 1 hour and 15 minutes. The agency’s airport-status page listed thunderstorms as the cause and said the program was scheduled to end at 8:30 p.m. EDT. Newark was not alone: reports from New Jersey media said the FAA also issued ground stops at John F. Kennedy International Airport and Philadelphia International Airport as the same weather system moved through the corridor. ### Why did Newark back up so badly on Wednesday night? The FAA said thunderstorms, heavy rain and wind were affecting operations at Newark on May 20. Its status page showed the airport under a weather-related ground delay program, a traffic-management measure used to slow departures bound for a congested airport when weather reduces arrival capacity. The listed average delay of 2 hours and 39 minutes matches the “nearly 160 minutes” cited in regional storm coverage. (faa.gov) New Jersey media reported that the weather disruption extended beyond Newark. NJ.com said the FAA had imposed ground stops at Newark, JFK and Philadelphia during the storm system, while Newark was also reporting departure delays averaging about an hour. ### What happened to United Flight 776 from Orlando? (faa.gov) FlightAware data for United Airlines Flight 776 showed the Orlando-to-Newark service departing Orlando International Airport at 11:48 p.m. on Wednesday, well after its scheduled 5:10 p.m. departure. The flight then arrived at Newark at 2:04 a.m. on Thursday, 6 hours and 4 minutes behind schedule, according to the tracking site. (nj.com) Flight-tracking records from Flightradar24 show an earlier movement for UA776 on May 19 in which the aircraft diverted to Richmond, Virginia, before later continuing to Newark. That record is separate from the May 20 weather delays reflected in the FAA’s Newark status page and FlightAware’s overnight arrival data. ### Which flights and cities were caught up in the disruption? (flightaware.com) Travel and aviation sites reported wider fallout across Newark’s network. Travel and Tour World said Newark had 284 delays and 22 cancellations on Thursday, affecting routes tied to carriers including United, Republic Airways, Jazz Aviation and American Airlines, and listed cities including St. Louis, Toronto, Kansas City, Grand Rapids and Portland among those hit by the disruption. (flightradar24.com) A separate report from The Traveler described hundreds of passengers stranded during Newark disruptions in March, underscoring how quickly delays at the airport can spread across domestic and international routes. That report was published earlier and does not document Wednesday’s storm event, but it reflects the same airport’s sensitivity to cascading delays. (travelandtourworld.com) ### What should passengers watch next? The FAA’s Newark status page is the primary public source for active ground delay programs, ground stops and weather-related traffic restrictions. Newark Liberty’s airport operations page also posts real-time arrival and departure status for individual flights. Thursday, May 21, is the next key checkpoint for travelers with Newark itineraries because airline and airport systems continue to update overnight delays, cancellations and rebookings into the following day. (thetraveler.org) United passengers can also check route-specific status through the airline’s flight-status page as operations normalize after the storms. (united.com) (faa.gov)