Newark Liberty airport suspends flight operations over aircraft emergency

The airport said it could not give travelers an estimated time frame for when the problem would be resolved and flights could resume, but the Federal Aviation Administration said the airport is expected to be closed until 11 p.m. Eastern.

Published: February 18, 2026 7:39pm

New Jersey's Newark Liberty International Airport alerted travelers Wednesday that all flight operations have been suspended amid an aircraft emergency that left a plane on the taxiway.

"Travel advisory: Flight operations at Newark Liberty are temporarily suspended while an aircraft is removed from the taxiway due to an earlier incident," the airport said on X. "Travelers are encouraged to check with their airline for up-to-date travel information."

The airport said it could not give travelers an estimated time frame for when the problem would be resolved and flights could resume, but the Federal Aviation Administration said the airport is expected to be closed until 11 p.m. Eastern.

A ground stop was initially ordered from 5:42 to 7 p.m. Eastern for an “aircraft emergency” that appeared to be caused by an engine failure on a JetBlue flight headed for Palm Beach, Florida. The plane was forced to turn around and land back in New Jersey just 40 minutes into the flight, according to the New York Post

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