Several times over the last year, Newark controllers lost radar or radio service, leaving them unable to talk with planes they were tracking.

A deadly midair collision in January between a military helicopter and a commercial airliner, and several crashes since, have prompted officials to focus on fixing the nation’s outdated air traffic control system and hiring more controllers.

Silence. That’s the last thing an airline pilot wants to hear from air traffic control as they approach a major international airport straddling the country’s most populated city.

Passenger carriers are still facing disruptions at New Jersey's Newark Liberty International Airport. Last week, there was a technology outage impacting ATC's ability to direct planes.