Airline Reduces 35 Daily Flights at Newark Airport Due to Controller Shortage
Rewritten Article:
Air travelers faced a rough weekend at Newark Liberty International Airport, battling lengthy delays and numerous flight cancellations due to an air traffic controller shortage. This issue is a nationwide concern the Trump administration has vowed to address.
Throughout the week, New York City's bustling airport experienced disruptions, with United Airlines reducing 35 daily flights from its Newark schedule starting Saturday. According to United CEO Scott Kirby, the control system technology used for managing planes at the New Jersey airport malfunctioned repeatedly, leading to flight disruptions. To compound matters, over one-fifth of Newark's traffic controllers opted not to work, Kirby explained.
In a letter to customers, Kirby explained that Newark airport, which has been understaffed for years, cannot manage the volume of scheduled flights without these controllers, as per the FAA. On Saturday morning, airport status reports showed average delays of nearly two hours for incoming flights, with some experiencing up to five hours of delays, while departures had an average delay of 45 minutes. By late afternoon, incoming flights were running over three hours behind schedule, while departing flights' delays flattened to a half-hour on average. The ripple effect spread to airports in Los Angeles, Atlanta, Chicago, Miami, Dallas, and other cities.
United Airlines dominates Newark's flight schedule, and reducing 35 flights constitutes about 10% of their round-trip domestic flights. The airport itself mentioned both staffing issues and "construction" when warning travelers about potential delays on Thursday.
The Trump administration acknowledges the staffing shortage and is making efforts to strengthen the air traffic controller workforce. Last week, U.S. Transportation Secretary, Sean Duffy, unveiled a program to recruit new controllers and provide incentives for existing ones to stay on board.
Despite these efforts, concerns about Newark remain, with New Jersey Congressman Josh Gottheimer urging immediate action to add more controllers at the airport. The U.S. needs to address Newark's delays, as well as overall operational efficiency, Gottheimer stated.
Airlines are dealing with uncertainty in this time, as potential customers reconsider traveling for work or leisure due to the unknown impacts of President Donald Trump's trade war on the economy. In response to the economic outlook, United recently released two financial forecasts – one for a potential recession and one for stable economic growth.
From Newark, United operates flights to 76 U.S. cities and 81 international destinations.
- The Trump administration has vowed to address the national concern of an air traffic controller shortage, which is causing issues at Newark Liberty International Airport.
- United Airlines, a dominant force in Newark's flight schedule, has been affected by this shortage, leading to the reduction of 35 daily flights.
- United CEO Scott Kirby attributes the malfunctioning air traffic control system technology and over one-fifth of Newark's traffic controllers choosing not to work as the primary causes for these flight disruptions.
- The Trump administration is taking steps to strengthen the air traffic controller workforce, including a new recruitment program and incentives for existing controllers.
- Despite these efforts, New Jersey Congressman Josh Gottheimer is urging immediate action to add more controllers at Newark Airport, citing the need to address Newark's delays and overall operational efficiency.
- Airlines are dealing with uncertainty due to President Donald Trump's trade war, causing potential customers to reconsider travel for work or leisure.
- United Airlines operates flights to 76 U.S. cities and 81 international destinations from Newark, adding to the impact of any flight disruptions.
- The national concern of air traffic controller shortages and the potential impacts of policy-and-legislation, politics, and general-news on business, technology, trade, finance, lifestyle, and investing continue to be topics of discussion.
