Sharjah 24 – Reuters: United Airlines UAL.O announced Thursday it will temporarily cut about 50 daily departures from its Newark airport hub starting on July 1 to address congestion and as concerns mount over the U.S. summer air-travel season.
The summer flight cuts apply only to domestic flights. They represent 12% of United's 425 daily flights at Newark and will not result in the airline exiting markets. United shares fell 4.9% in afternoon trading to $34.93.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on June 17 granted United approval to temporarily cut Newark flights after the Chicago-based carrier petitioned for a waiver, citing airport construction and air traffic control (ATC) staffing.
The agency said in a previously unreported letter seen by Reuters that it expected the move would "help the FAA and carriers manage delays during terminal and runway construction projects."
An email sent on Thursday to United employees by Chief Operations Officer Jon Roitman said the cuts "should help minimize excessive delays and improve on-time performance." He added that the moves were made even though the company had "the planes, pilots, crews and supporting staffing necessary to fly our current Newark schedule."
On Thursday, airlines cancelled 10% of Newark flights and delayed another 10%, giving Newark more disrupted flights than at any other U.S. airport, according to FlightAware.
Travelers are bracing for a difficult summer as airlines expect record demand and are still rebuilding workforces after thousands of employees left the industry during the COVID-19 pandemic. Many U.S. carriers have already made significant flight cuts to summer schedules to improve performance.
Newark, the 14th busiest U.S. airport in 2021, is one of three major airports in the New York City area.
Service disruptions at Newark, where United operates about 70% of flights, can have a ripple effect across the country.
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