Fixed compensation
Do not assume it is automatically due. The cause, applicable passenger-rights regime and the airline's response all matter.
Newark FAA disruption · 21 September 2026 · resolved
More than 600 Newark flights cancelled during FAA communications outage
Newark Liberty International Airport was one of the hardest-hit airports during the FAA telecommunications failure on 21 September. Commercial arrivals were stopped for hours while controllers dealt with the loss of primary and backup communications links.
Check my affected flightIs your flight affected?
Use your actual itinerary and operating airline to check which passenger rights may apply. It takes you from this incident briefing to a flight-specific assessment.
Check my affected flight →What happened
AP reported more than 600 cancellations into and out of Newark and said no commercial flights landed from about 09:40 until shortly after 17:20 local time. Reuters separately reported that more than half of Newark flights were cancelled and that United issued a travel waiver for affected passengers.
Operational conditions can change quickly. Check the airline and airport for live status before travelling.
Compensation is only one part of your rights
US passenger protections do not mirror EU261 fixed-compensation rules. Refund eligibility can arise when an airline cancels a flight and the passenger does not accept alternative transportation. Other assistance depends on the itinerary, airline commitments and circumstances; some international journeys can also fall within European or UK regimes.
Refund or rerouting
A cancellation can create travel-remedy rights even where an extraordinary circumstance prevents fixed compensation.
Care and expenses
Where the applicable rules provide a duty of care, reasonable meals, accommodation or transport can remain separate from compensation.
What to do now
Save your Newark booking, airline notices, any United or other carrier waiver used, replacement itinerary and receipts. Check the rules for the full route, especially where an international segment originated in Europe or the UK.
Check the facts of your flight
AeroDue separates the cause, itinerary and operating airline so passengers do not confuse an airport-wide incident with an automatic compensation result.
Check my affected flight →Sources used for this briefing
Associated Press — Newark among airports hit by FAA communications outage
Reuters — US Northeast FAA telecom outage
AeroDue provides passenger-rights intelligence. It does not operate airports, provide live flight status, process claims or guarantee compensation.