Rachel Abrams

Sorry, and just explain what is a data feed exactly? Like, what are we talking about?

So basically, it sounds like they added a pit stop along the way for this data. But that pit stop seems like it came with more opportunities for failure. Is that right?

So basically, it sounds like they added a pit stop along the way for this data. But that pit stop seems like it came with more opportunities for failure. Is that right?

Wow. So wait, they actually had another outage before this latest one? Like, this isn't the first time this has happened?

Wow. So wait, they actually had another outage before this latest one? Like, this isn't the first time this has happened?

It doesn't seem like it should be that easy to cause such a dangerous system failure. The idea that like one guy pulls out the wrong plug. Like, should there be some sort of, I don't know, safety net to prevent that from happening?

It doesn't seem like it should be that easy to cause such a dangerous system failure. The idea that like one guy pulls out the wrong plug. Like, should there be some sort of, I don't know, safety net to prevent that from happening?

You know, Kate, I have to say, even though I've been obviously an avid listener of The Daily and consumer of The New York Times, I had no idea that the technology issues in air travel were this bad and this terrifying. Right.

You know, Kate, I have to say, even though I've been obviously an avid listener of The Daily and consumer of The New York Times, I had no idea that the technology issues in air travel were this bad and this terrifying. Right.

We'll be right back. So, Kate, before the break, you'd mentioned that there have been staffing issues within air travel and specifically at Newark. So can you talk a little bit about that? What has been going on with staffing at Newark specifically?

We'll be right back. So, Kate, before the break, you'd mentioned that there have been staffing issues within air travel and specifically at Newark. So can you talk a little bit about that? What has been going on with staffing at Newark specifically?

In other words, just because you say, okay, we're going to give you the money to hire 10 new people, 100 new people, that does not mean that you have 10 or 100 new people that are ready tomorrow to take a job at Newark, one of the busiest airports in the country. That's right.

In other words, just because you say, okay, we're going to give you the money to hire 10 new people, 100 new people, that does not mean that you have 10 or 100 new people that are ready tomorrow to take a job at Newark, one of the busiest airports in the country. That's right.

But wait, initially they said that they needed 60-something controllers, and now the FAA is saying they only need 42. Why did they change that?

But wait, initially they said that they needed 60-something controllers, and now the FAA is saying they only need 42. Why did they change that?

So basically what you're saying is that at the time of this outage, they had a third of the people that they actually need to run air traffic control at a super busy time at Newark. Yeah, under normal staffing guidelines, that's what they would have. Given the numbers of the air traffic controllers that are actually working at Newark, is there a safe number of flights that can fly in and out?

So basically what you're saying is that at the time of this outage, they had a third of the people that they actually need to run air traffic control at a super busy time at Newark. Yeah, under normal staffing guidelines, that's what they would have. Given the numbers of the air traffic controllers that are actually working at Newark, is there a safe number of flights that can fly in and out?

Like, how many planes ideally should be going in and out of that airport if there's only four people who are working at any given time?

Like, how many planes ideally should be going in and out of that airport if there's only four people who are working at any given time?

This math doesn't work. So then what's the role of the government here? Like, at what point is the FAA supposed to come in and say, this is not safe. You can't fly. You do not have enough people for these planes to land and take off safely. Like, isn't that the whole point of the FAA?