A former United Airlines pilot said Newark air traffic controllers already had a tough enough job prior to the recent system outage. Some air traffic controllers involved in the Newark airport system chaos opted for a 45-day “trauma leave,

The air traffic system meltdown at Newark Liberty International Airport last week “was the most dangerous situation you could have,” according to an air traffic controller on duty that day, as the fallout from the outage stretches into a second week.

A deadly midair collision in January between a military helicopter and a commercial airliner, and several crashes since, have prompted officials to focus on fixing the nation’s outdated air traffic control system and hiring more controllers.