A veteran air traffic controller who was alone during the terrifying 90-second blackout at Newark Liberty International Airport refuses to fly out of the travel hub anymore — saying it’s

“People are now paying attention," he said. “They put more airplanes in the sky than the system can absorb, and what’s happened is we've reached a tipping point. We have so much volume, and we have pretty much the same air traffic control technology for decades."

Major airline CEOs are calling on Congressional lawmakers to upgrade the nation's air traffic control systems, especially after recent widespread issues at Newark Liberty International Airport. The top executives sent the open letter to Congress on Wednesday,