PILOT:
00:01:05
Is this comm or the ILS frequencies that are unreliable?
ATC:
00:01:07
It's our comms. Same old, same old here. Frequencies are no good. There's parts missing.
KRIS VAN CLEAVE:
00:01:13
The FAA says it's investigating this latest episode at the same Philadelphia area air traffic control facility that experienced major outages earlier this year. Thursday's outage happening despite the installation of newly-upgraded communications lines, resulting in hundreds of delays.
PILOT:
00:01:31
Good luck today.
ATC:
00:01:32
Oh, thanks. We need more than luck. We just need working equipment, you know? It was a little disappointing, but I think 30 minutes isn't as bad as it could be, as we've experienced this summer.
KRIS VAN CLEAVE:
00:01:43
Wednesday, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy promised additional air traffic control upgrades. By the time we get to next summer, there's going to be some noticeable changes and improvements in the airspace. I'm excited about that. And we're going to make the technology safer.
KRIS VAN CLEAVE:
00:01:58
American and United Airlines expect to fly about 7 million passengers this weekend. The FAA is forecasting the busiest Labor Day in 15 years. The Kittel family is hoping to beat the crowd leaving Washington, DC. Yeah, definitely nervous. We didn't know what to expect with the holiday. We thought it might be really busy, so we here a little bit early.
KRIS VAN CLEAVE:
00:02:16
Most Americans will drive, finding gas prices on average about $0.15 a gallon cheaper. Welcome news for Sarah Rowland's road trip through Oregon. Trying to escape the Nashville heat. We thought Labor Day weekend would be nice here. And this morning, we're learning about some scary moments on a United Express Flight that encountered severe turbulence over the Fort Worth area. The plane diverted to Austin last night. Paramedics met the plane to assess the people on board. Today, the FAA is watching for delays in the Dallas area, Houston, Denver, San Francisco, and Florida, due to weather conditions. Here in Newark, though, so far, so good. Off to a good start this morning, Nate. So far so good. That sounds good to me. Kris, thank you.
