A shortage of air traffic controllers, bungled IT management, outdated technology, and a brewing disaster in our airspace.

Amid dire conditions at the airport, an airline operations crew has had to figure out how to get more than 600 flights a day to take off and land without incident.

Newark Liberty International Airport is one of the largest hubs of United Airlines, and the congested airport is also the Chicago-based carrier's biggest operational challenge. The company told 1.5 million customers in a note on Thursday that congestion at Newark has eased since it reduced flights there.

The Army is telling The Associated Press that military air traffic controllers lost contact with an Army helicopter for about 20 seconds as it neared the Pentagon on the flight that caused two commercial jets to abort their landings this month at a Washington airport.

On May 1, the Pentagon briefly lost contact with an Army helicopter nearby, causing two planes to abort landings at D.C.'s Reagan National Airport.