United Airlines cuts 10% of Newark flights due to air traffic control challenges
United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby announced that the airline will cut 10% of its flights at Newark Airport due to air traffic control staffing issues and government equipment failures.
Beginning this weekend, United Airlines has announced that it will cancel 35 flights daily-about ten percent of its operations -which stem from the airline's hub in Newark, New Jersey. The announcement came after disruptions were caused at Newark due to air traffic control staffing shortages and issues with equipment.
United operates about 328 daily flights from Newark and these issues have coincided with delays, cancellations and diversions at Newark for about a week. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is conducting an investigation into the issues and presenting plans on improvements to air traffic control infrastructure to reduce further disruptions.
United Airlines announces reductions from Newark airport due to delays
On Friday, United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby said the airline will begin cancelling 35 flights a day, which is nearly 10% of its schedule, at its Newark hub as soon as this weekend. The specific reason for the cancellations is continuing government equipment issues and staff shortages in air traffic control.
This week, United has already had to delay and cancel flights, and divert flights, out of New York City, which has about 328 flights a day.
"Technology that FAA air traffic controllers rely on to manage the airplanes coming in and out of Newark airport failed – resulting in dozens of diverted flights, hundreds of delayed and canceled flights and worst of all, thousands of customers with disrupted travel plans," Kirby said in an email to customers. "Unfortunately, the technology issues were compounded as over 20% of the FAA controllers for (Newark) walked off the job."
Neither the FAA nor controllers' union commented on the matter.
United Airlines has their hub at Newark airport. Photo: Economista
In an effort to combat staffing issues in air traffic control and trafficking in New York City, the FAA moved control of Newark's airspace to Philadelphia last year.
U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy came to visit the FAA's Terminal Radar Approach Control in Philadelphia on Friday and acknowledged that antiquated technologies were to blame for the delays and outages at Newark, as airlines are asking for more rail travel due to air travel delays. Duffy indicated plans to advance a proposal for the air traffic control system's decaying infrastructure later that week.
On Thursday, Acting FAA Administrator Chris Rocheleau said the agency has a team investigating the interruptions at Newark. "We need to make sure the controllers have the proper equipment and that they're obviously appropriately staffed," he said.
U.S. Airlines request FAA to extend flight requirements
In response to staffing shortages, U.S. airlines asked the FAA to extend cuts to minimum flight requirements at congested New York City-area airports until October 2027.
Minimum flight requirements are the FAA requirements that dictate how many times airlines must use their takeoff and landing slots - at least 80% of the time. However, because of the waiver, airlines can fly reduced flights and retain these slots.
The FAA is still around 3,500 controllers short of its desired staffing levels, which has caused delays and caused many controllers to work mandatory overtime.
United Airlines previously reduced its flight schedule in November as a result of low FAA staffing, impacting the travel plans for more than 343,000 passengers. United had already made changes to its Newark flight schedule prior to announcing its latest cancellations.
