Is Newark Airport safe? An Extensive Research on Its Safety

Being one of the major airports in the United States, EWR Airport serves millions of passengers annually. The question arises here: Is Newark Airport safe? Yes, this airport is considered safe, whether for a final destination or a layover, despite frequent delays and infrastructure issues, and safety remains unaffected.

Apart from these recent challenges, Newark Airport’s passenger safety has always been worth a good rating when looking at other factors, which may affect safety, like global security standards, health measures, transportation, and many more. A detailed breakdown of all these factors is mentioned below for travelers’ ease.

Issues EWR Airport Faced Recently

In late April 2025 and starting in May 2025, the Newark Airport faced some safety concerns, which included international delays for both arrivals and departures, infrastructure issues, radar system outages, air traffic getting uncontrollable, and staff shortages. These problems caused trouble to many travelers, but it was controlled efficiently by the airport authorities.

Newark Liberty International delays

There were a lot of flights that were delayed due to all the factors, as well as the ongoing runway construction. It caused problems for people who were there at the airport waiting for their departures or someone’s arrival. It happened due to the failure of the telecommunication and equipment at Philadelphia TRACON.

Newark airport radar outage

According to the statements of the FAA, on May 9, 2025, at around 3.55 a.m., a radar outage happened at Newark Airport, causing the radar screen to go black, and it lasted approximately 90 seconds, impacting the radio frequencies, which affected Newark operations deeply.

Newark air traffic control issues

EWR Airport repeatedly faced air traffic control issues in the previous months. The technical failures have led to several flight delays and cancellations, raising FAA safety concerns for travelers. Also, imposed investigations and urgent improvements.

Newark airport infrastructure problems

The aging infrastructure of EWR Airport, along with the ongoing runway construction, played a significant role in these recent issues, causing operational disruptions and many Newark flight cancellations.

Newark airport controller shortage of Staff

The airport faced a shortage of air traffic control staff in managing the ground operations, along with the flight operations. The staff present at that moment was few when compared to the number of travelers arriving there, i.e., 25% less than the required personnel. It has led to an increase in workload, controller fatigue, and even safety risks.

Note: Despite facing these big problems, Newark Airport is running its operations and making shifts for the betterment, trying to maintain the safety of passengers.

Factors that affect the safety of passengers at Newark Airport

Apart from the above-mentioned issues, other factors are also noticed while determining the safety of EWR Airport. These may include safety rating, records, airport procedures, compliance with guidelines, health measures, etc.

Newark Airport Safety Rating and Hospitality

Newark Liberty International Airport has always maintained a good reputation in terms of safety and passenger hospitality. In 2024, the famous service provider of the United Kingdom, Skytrax, awarded EWR Airport’s Terminal A a 5-star rating and recognized it as the new best terminal in the world.
However, it has faced many accidents, but since 2000, there have been no fatal accidents reported by the airport, maintaining a good safety record.

Newark Airport Procedures

Safety is maintained at the airport through various procedures, like TSA security checks, which help travelers get through security faster and safely. Additionally, CCTV cameras have been set up at many points to keep an eye on travelers’ actions. Security checkpoints are present at every terminal, and a person will have to pass through these points to reach their flights. Documents and IDs are checked thoroughly; if any suspicious activities or people are caught, they will be prohibited from flying.

Compliance with Rules

All standard rules and regulations set by the FAA or other authorities are followed here. Even during the outage issues, the Federal Aviation Administration stated that flights are safe and the safety protocols are in place. The operation slowed down to maintain the highest level of safety.

Health Measures at EWR Airport

Newark Airport has implemented various health measures to ensure passengers’ safety. It includes regular cleaning of high-touch areas, availability of hand sanitizers throughout the terminals, and contactless check-in options like online or self-service kiosks. A medical room is also located at EWR Terminal B for urgent medical assistance. Also, the staff have been trained to handle both minor and major diseases.

Newark Airport Nighttime Safety

EWR Airport operates 24/7, and it’s generally under surveillance and secure. The staff is also present throughout the night, working in shifts, and the whole area is well-lit, with police presence in high-public areas making it safer than the outside areas.

Safety Tips for Travelers Flying Through EWR Airport in 2025

Anyone who is flying through Newark Airport in 2025 must keep these tips in mind before arriving at the airport, as they can save one’s time, efforts, and money most of the time. Every tip is explained in detail below:

• Flight Status and Alerts: Travelers must keep a check on their flight status in case it’s delayed or cancelled. Also, on the Newark Airport’s situation alerts through their website or by contacting them personally. 
  
• Report Suspicious Activities: Notify TSA authorities or airport security staff immediately if they notice any suspicious people or activities. 
  
• Keep Items safe: Passengers should never leave their bags alone before dropping them off at the baggage belts. 
  
• Use only Authorised Transportation: Fliers must use only safe and authorised modes of transportation to reach or leave the EWR airport. 
  
• Keep IDs and Documents accessible: Required documents and IDs must be kept in the carry-on bag, readily accessible to show at the security checkpoints at the time of check-in. 
  
• Be aware: Travelers must stay aware of their surroundings, especially during night flights or layovers. 
  
• Solo travelers: The Newark Airport is generally a safe place, still solo travelers must stay in the public zones near the police contact. 

Note: The FAA authority has mentioned the Newark Airport travel advisory, mentioning the recent issues and warnings about the frequent delays and cancellations of flights lately.

Final Verdict: Is Newark Airport Safe?

Yes, Newark Liberty International Airport is a safe option for flying in and out of New York. Although it has faced some failures lately due to its infrastructure and radar issues but none of them concerned with safety majorly. As per the statements from the FAA, the flight delays and cancellations were made to keep the passengers safe. Apart from these, all factors suggest that EWR Airport is relatively secure, even for solo travelers.

FAQs on How Safe is Newark Airport