A United Airlines passenger plane lands at Newark Liberty International Airport in Newark, New Jersey on January 19, 2022.
Tayfun Coskun | Anadolu Agency | Getty Images
United Airlines will cut about 50 daily flights from Newark Liberty International Airport next month in a bid to reduce delays that have disrupted travelers’ plans this year.
The discounts represent about 12% of United’s schedule at its New Jersey hub and apply only to domestic flights, starting July 1.
United executives said the delays were the result of capacity constraints, airport construction and air traffic control – not a lack of airline staff.
From the start of the year to mid-June, 31% of flights in Newark were delayed, the second-worst rate in the country behind Chicago Midway, according to flight tracking site FlightAware.
Jon Roitman, United’s executive vice president and chief operating officer, told staff in a memo on Thursday that “after the past few weeks of erratic operations at Newark, caused by many factors, including the construction of the airport, we contacted the FAA and received a waiver allowing us to temporarily adjust our schedule there for the remainder of the summer.”
United said it is not currently ending service to any city, but will reduce the number of flights it operates to certain markets.
“While we have the planes, pilots, crews and personnel to support our Newark schedule, this waiver will allow us to cut approximately 50 daily departures, which should help minimize excessive delays and improve on-time performance – no only for our customers, but for everyone who passes through Newark,” he wrote.
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