Passengers say they were stranded on Newark tarmac for hours amid FAA ground stops

United Airlines passengers at Newark Liberty International Airport said they were held on planes for hours on May 21 after FAA ground stops rippled through the airport and some flights were later canceled, according to NBC New York. The local station said some travelers described waits of as long as seven hours on the tarmac before being brought back to the gate or taken off canceled flights. The disruption came at the start of the Memorial Day travel period, when the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey said about 5.6 million travelers were expected to use its airports and crossings from May 21 through May 25. ### How long were passengers saying they were stuck? NBC New York reported on May 22 that passengers on multiple United flights said they were stranded aboard aircraft for hours at Newark on Wednesday, May 21. The station said some flights were eventually canceled after lengthy waits on the tarmac, and travelers at Terminal B described long lines and repeated delays inside the terminal as well. (nbcnewyork.com) Newark Liberty’s official airport status page showed light rain at 9:51 a.m. EDT on May 21. Delta Air Lines also posted a New York City weather advisory on May 21 saying forecast severe weather could affect travel to or through Newark, White Plains, Kennedy and LaGuardia. ### What do FAA ground stops mean in this case? The FAA’s National Airspace System dashboard is the federal source for active airport events such as ground stops and ground delays. (nbcnewyork.com) A ground stop temporarily holds departures bound for a specific airport, while a ground delay program meters traffic into an airport to manage congestion and capacity limits. The FAA dashboard available on May 22 showed active ground-delay events at other airports that day, illustrating the system the agency uses to control traffic during disruptions. (faa.gov) United also had an active travel waiver dated May 20 for East Coast thunderstorms affecting Newark and five other airports. The airline’s public waiver notice said impacted travelers could review flight options if their trips were disrupted. ### Why was Terminal B part of the story? Terminal B is Newark’s oldest terminal and a pressure point during irregular operations. (nasstatus.faa.gov) The Port Authority said on May 20 that the building opened in 1973, was designed for about 6.8 million annual passengers, and handled about 11.5 million passengers in 2025. (jetstream.united.com) The Port Authority Board of Commissioners authorized $75 million in near-term Terminal B improvements on May 20 as the first phase of a broader three-year, $200 million program. The agency said the work will target gate areas, restrooms, elevators, escalators, customer-facing technology and other aging systems while a replacement Terminal B is planned for the mid-2030s. (panynj.gov) ### Was Newark already bracing for a heavy holiday rush? The Port Authority said on May 18 that about 5.6 million travelers were expected across its airports and vehicular crossings during the five-day Memorial Day peak from Thursday, May 21, through Monday, May 25. The agency urged travelers to allow extra time and said AirTrain Newark would operate to and from the airport train station on Memorial Day. (panynj.gov) United separately says the FAA has directed airlines to reduce schedules across 40 U.S. airports through Nov. 16. The carrier says those schedule changes are intended to relieve pressure on the aviation system and that customers should check flight status for possible impacts. ### What happens next for travelers and the airport? (panynj.gov) Work on Terminal B upgrades is set to begin this year, the Port Authority said, and the agency said the interim program is meant to keep the 53-year-old terminal functioning until a new Terminal B opens in the mid-2030s. Travelers heading through Newark over the holiday weekend can monitor airline status pages, FAA airport status information and Port Authority advisories for further disruptions tied to weather or traffic management. (united.com) (panynj.gov)