Travelers at Newark Liberty International Airport and across New York City’s major air hubs faced a cascade of disruptions on Monday, March 23, 2026, as a series of unprecedented events unfolded in quick succession. The day began with the abrupt evacuation of Newark’s air traffic control tower, a move prompted by the unmistakable scent of smoke wafting from an elevator. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a temporary ground stop, halting all arrivals and departures at one of the nation’s busiest airports just after 7:30 a.m. local time.
The FAA confirmed, according to Reuters and multiple other outlets, that "arrivals and departures are temporarily paused at Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey after air traffic controllers evacuated the tower because of a burning smell coming from an elevator." Controllers returned to their posts and the ground stop was lifted about an hour later, with operations resuming around 8:30 a.m. But for travelers, the ripple effects of this brief suspension would linger throughout the day.
Just hours before Newark’s troubles began, tragedy had already struck nearby LaGuardia Airport. Late Sunday night, a Jazz Aviation flight operating on behalf of Air Canada collided with a Port Authority fire truck while landing, resulting in the deaths of both pilots and injuries to dozens on board. According to the Port Authority’s executive director, Kathryn Garcia, the emergency vehicle was responding to an incident involving a United Airlines flight when the crash occurred. The collision left 41 passengers hospitalized and forced the closure of LaGuardia Airport until at least 2 p.m. on Monday, as reported by Nexstar Media and confirmed by the FAA.
The National Transportation Safety Board quickly launched an investigation into the LaGuardia crash, while New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani advised travelers to "check with their airline for the latest flight information before coming to the airport." As of early Monday afternoon, at least 306 departing and 297 arriving flights at LaGuardia had been canceled, with dozens more delayed, according to data from FlightAware cited by Forbes. The closure meant that many passengers were rerouted to Newark, compounding the chaos already brewing there.
Back at Newark, the evacuation of the control tower was handled with brisk efficiency. FAA and airport staff swiftly moved air traffic control operations to a backup facility, ensuring that flights could resume as soon as it was safe. Still, the temporary halt had a domino effect: at least 119 flights leaving Newark and 104 arriving were delayed by 2 p.m., per FlightAware’s tracker. The FAA warned pilots that flights could receive new expected departure clearance times, and travelers were urged to stay in close contact with their airlines for updates.
While the immediate cause of the Newark evacuation—a burning smell from an elevator—proved not to be a fire, the incident underscored the fragility of the current air travel system. The U.S. aviation sector is already grappling with chronic shortages of air traffic controllers and Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers, a problem exacerbated by a partial federal government shutdown. Reuters noted that these staffing gaps have led to delays, long security lines, and heightened safety concerns at airports nationwide.
In a bid to alleviate the strain on TSA personnel, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents were deployed to airports across the country, including Newark, JFK, and LaGuardia. According to WABC, about 65 ICE agents were assigned to Newark’s terminals, where they monitored entrances and exits to free up TSA agents for screening duties. President Donald Trump, speaking to reporters in Palm Beach, Florida, justified the move by stating, "They really are a high-level group of people and they love it because they're able to now arrest illegals as they come into the country. That's very fertile territory. But that's not why they're there. They're really there to help." He added, "If that's not enough, I'll bring in the National Guard."
This deployment, however, sparked immediate backlash from local and state officials. New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill criticized the decision, saying, "Every time Donald Trump gets involved, he creates chaos for the American people. This latest proposal is no different. Trump's ICE has a track record of making communities less safe, and sending untrained ICE agents to staff our airports is not an acceptable solution. Instead, it's time for Donald Trump and Washington Republicans to do their jobs and fund TSA." Senator Cory Booker echoed these concerns, calling the ICE presence a "political stunt" and asserting, "And now suddenly Donald Trump has brought chaos into our airport in New Jersey. This is his way of doing things. Chaos, cruelty and corruption. That is visiting upon us now because Donald Trump won't fund TSA and has brought ICE into our airport here."
Despite the partial government shutdown and the additional security concerns, TSA security lines at Newark moved steadily, and flight delays were kept to a minimum, at least in the initial hours following the tower evacuation. Yet, for travelers, the day was anything but routine. The morning’s events also arrived on the heels of other recent incidents at Newark: earlier in March, a plane clipped the tail of another during pushback for deicing—fortunately, no one was injured. And in February, TSA investigated a case where a woman managed to stow away on a United flight to Milan, only being discovered mid-flight.
Meanwhile, at JFK Airport, the FAA advised travelers to expect delays, with approximately 11% of flights to and from the airport delayed around 2 p.m., according to Forbes. The entire region’s air travel system was under strain, as disruptions at one airport quickly spilled over to others, underscoring just how interconnected—and vulnerable—the system has become.
For passengers caught in Monday’s maelstrom, the advice was simple but sobering: stay alert, check with your airline, and be prepared for last-minute changes. The events of March 23, 2026, served as a stark reminder of the delicate balance required to keep America’s skies safe and its airports running smoothly—especially when unexpected crises, from deadly crashes to elevator mishaps, can upend even the best-laid plans in a matter of minutes.