“We feel like there is no other choice in order to protect our customers,” United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby said
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United Airlines is reducing 35 daily flights out of Newark Liberty International Airport due to Federal Aviation Administration personnel problems.
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The airline’s CEO said the airport can’t “handle the number of planes that are scheduled to operate” for the foreseeable future
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“Since there is no way to resolve the near-term structural FAA staffing issues, we feel like there is no other choice in order to protect our customers,” United CEO Scott Kirby said
The CEO of United Airlines has announced plans to cancel 35 daily roundtrip flights from Newark Liberty International Airport to “protect” customers — starting this weekend — following “FAA staffing issues.”
On Saturday, May 3, FlightAware stated that there were 800 delays and 150 cancellations at the airport since Tuesday, as per their report.
CBS News
Newark cited delays on Thursday due to “staffing problems with the FAA and construction” as the cause.
statement on X
, adding that one runway is closed for “necessary repairs from now until mid-June 2025.”
In a statement to , a representative from the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey mentioned that they have “spent billions to upgrade Newark Liberty, however, these enhancements rely on a completely manned and updated federal air traffic control system.”
The statement went on to say, ‘We keep encouraging the FAA to tackle persistent staff shortages and hasten much-delayed technological improvements, which are still causing bottlenecks in the country’s most congested airspace.’
The personnel problems originate from an operations hub in Philadelphia, as stated in a report.
MSNBC
In an interview with the outlet, a Newark air traffic controller stated that “changes must be made,” describing it as “an unsafe condition for passengers.”
Now, United CEO Scott Kirby has said in a statement that the airline is cutting many of its Newark flights after the “long-simmering FAA challenges” had “boiled over this week.” Specifically, “technology that FAA air traffic controllers rely on to manage the airplanes coming in and out of Newark airport failed” on multiple occasions, per Kirby.
“Unfortunately, the technology issues were compounded as over 20% of the FAA controllers for EWR walked off the job,” Kirby wrote. “Keep in mind, this particular air traffic control facility has been chronically understaffed for years and without these controllers, it’s now clear — and the FAA tells us — that Newark airport cannot handle the number of planes that are scheduled to operate there in the weeks and months ahead.”
“We are disappointed to implement additional reductions to an already trimmed schedule at Newark. However, as there seems to be no solution for addressing the immediate FAA staffing challenges, we believe this is the only option left to safeguard our passengers,” he stated.
When contacted for comment, a representative from the FAA referred to a statement posted on their website.
X
, where it was mentioned they will “keep the public informed about the status of EWR and all airports” through their updates.
website
.
Related:
Flight Delayed for Over an Hour After Staff Claims Passenger Stole a Cellphone
According to the Federal Aviation Administration, as reported by CBS News, several flights arriving at Newark on Saturday afternoon experienced delays of over three hours, whereas departure delays reached up to 45 minutes.
According to the data, United Airlines has the highest number of departures from Newark Airport.
Associated Press
.
The worries about traveling arise as Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy
announced a new program
To attract new controllers and provide an incentive program to keep current controllers this week.
“I’m coming out with a plan that’s gonna build a brand new air traffic control system, state of the art, gold plated, envy of the world, touching every phase of the systems that air traffic controllers use. We’re gonna lay fiber, we’re gonna get new radar, new radios, new ground sensors,” Duffy said, per CBS News.
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Passengers at Newark shared their experiences of delays and worries with CBS News, where traveler Lisa Tarter described it as “annoying when you’re looking forward to having a hassle-free and easy day.”
“I had to wait for two hours in Los Angeles just to get on the plane, and they were still uncertain about the timing despite saying it would be two hours. It was terrible,” remarked another woman.
According to FlightAware, the delays not only affect passengers in San Francisco but also create cascading impacts for travelers in Los Angeles, Atlanta, Chicago, Miami, Dallas, and many other locations.
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