ATC TRACON Controller reported situation where the adjacent facility was not taking handoffs in a timely manner resulting in a complex and dangerous ATC environment.

Date: 2025-09 · Aircraft: Large Transport; Low Wing; 2 Turbojet Eng · Phase: cruise

Anomalies: atc-issue-all-types|airspace-violation-all-types|deviation-discrepancy-procedural-published-material-policy|no-specific-anomaly-occurred-unwanted-situation

Synopsis

ATC TRACON Controller reported situation where the adjacent facility was not taking handoffs in a timely manner resulting in a complex and dangerous ATC environment.

Narrative

I was working EWR departure combined with Satellite departure for over 50 minutes. N90 Liberty area was not taking handoffs on a timely manner the entire session. It is very cumbersome to work the sectors when Liberty does not take handoffs in a timely manner. It is a lot to keep track of. I had to call for handoffs and Liberty had to call to remind me to transfer communications with aircraft. It is an unnecessary workload that Liberty has added ever since the EWR area has moved down to Philadelphia.Mainly; Liberty South was not taking hand offs until ELVAE which gives no room for EWR departure to spin the aircraft if they do not take the handoff with out entering other sectors arrival patterns and airspace. Towards the end of the session Liberty south was not taking handoffs until the aircraft were past ELVAE and in a 4-mile corridor where there is no room to do anything with the aircraft without entering other sectors airspace and arrival traffic. I had three aircraft in a row at 6000. Liberty south (LS) was not taking the handoff; so I called LS on the landline for a handoff. They took the aircraft; and I transferred comms. The second aircraft Aircraft Y I mistakenly transferred comms prior to LS taking the handoff. Aircraft Y checked back in and I realized LS did not take the handoff. I then called LS for the handoff they refused to take the aircraft. I had no choice but to spin that a/c and Aircraft X behind Aircraft Y. This led to a very comprising situation with other controllers airspace and arriving aircraft. Aircraft Y had to do a complete right 360. Aircraft X also had to do a 360 and LS was still not taking the handoff on this aircraft. I called for the handoff on Aircraft X; and LS refused to take the handoff on Aircraft X. They state something like it was not their problem and they are taking h/o in a timely manner. I stated prior to ELVAE is a timely manner to take a handoff and after EVLAE there is no place for us to go. I do not know if LS is trying to prove a point or not or their reason why they are waiting so long to take the handoff that I have to eventually call. This creates a very dangerous situation. When EWR area was located at N90 this was never an issue with LS taking handoffs in a timely manner. Can someone please get to the bottom of this. This is an unneeded stress to add on to PHL area C with us working so many hours and so short staffed. We have been dealing with this problem and it keeps happening.Give LS airspace south of ELVAE 5000 to 6000. Have accountability somewhere when the airlines are being delayed like this.

Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.