Following a week of delays and cancellations at Newark Liberty International Airport due to FAA equipment issues and staffing shortages, the CEO of United Airlines said the company has no choice but to unilaterally cancel flights from its schedule.
Starting this weekend, United will cancel 35 roundtrip flights per day from its Newark schedule, United CEO Scott Kirby said in a letter to customers.
Three times this week, flights through Newark faced significant delays for a combination of issues, compounded by ongoing runway construction at the airport.
The FAA has experienced equipment issues at its Philadelphia TRACON center, which helps manages the airspace around Newark Liberty, causing delays for passengers. The FAA said it has also had air controller staffing shortages.
“Unfortunately, the technology issues were compounded as over 20% of the FAA controllers for EWR walked off the job. 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,” Kirby said in his letter.
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Author: Marty Kaufmann
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