Those aboard planes waiting to land were left circling over the airport. One passenger, Adam Cohen tweeted: “I am currently circling over Richmond, VA because some numbskull (trying to keep this PG) is flying a drone over Newark Airport. I can’t express enough how stupid I think drones are.”
Brett Sosnik replied: “My flight just landed we were told the same thing and thankfully they let us land on a different runway.
“Hope you’re on the ground soon too.”
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) forbids drones from flying within five miles of airports, because of the threat they pose to other air traffic.
FAA officials said the drones were spotted over Teterboro Airport, New Jersey.
The drones are no longer in the airspace and flights have resumed at Newark Airport.
However, planes heading to Newark Airport have been halted until they can clear the backlog of flights.
The drones were flying at 3500 feet over Teterboro Airport, less than 20 miles from Newark Airport, according to CBS New York.
Another frustrated traveller took to Twitter to say: “If you’re flying a drone near EWR right now, could you ground it and have a sandwich or something? You just shut down all arrivals.”
This latest drone activity comes weeks after Gatwick Airport was reduced to chaos after drones caused hundreds of flights to be cancelled, disrupting travel for thousands of travellers around the holiday period.
Police received at least 115 reports of drone sightings, including 92 from “credible people”.
Those responsible have not been caught.
The drones were flying at 3500 feet over Teterboro Airport, less than 20 miles from Newark Airport, according to CBS New York.
Another frustrated traveller took to Twitter to say: “If you’re flying a drone near EWR right now, could you ground it and have a sandwich or something? You just shut down all arrivals.”