Nearly two weeks of turmoil at Newark Liberty International Airport have exposed a “flawed system,” according to United Airlines.
UAL
CEO Scott Kirby stated in
a Fox News op-ed
.
The CEO criticized the Federal Aviation Administration due to delays, technology failures, flight cancelations, and his perception of their inability to tackle persistent issues within the country’s air traffic control infrastructure.
Three main causes of issues at Newark Airport include:
staffing issues
With its air traffic controllers, equipment malfunctions tied to obsolete technology, and a runway closed due to necessary maintenance. United manages a key hub at Newark and has been disproportionately affected—
reportedly
canceled 35 daily round trips earlier this week.
The airline accounts for approximately 63% of the airport’s passenger traffic.
Kirby’s discontent primarily stems from the FAA’s choice in 2016 to eliminate slot controls at Newark Airport—the system that restricts the number of takeoffs and landings per hour. In his writing, he pointed out that “Newark is uniquely the only major global airport where this fundamental commonsense regulation has been removed.”
The positive development is that we are close to resolving this ongoing issue with customer delays at EWR,” Kirby stated. “The final step requires the FAA utilizing their exclusive power to classify EWR as a Level 3 airport.
While he emphasized “neither the FAA nor United will ever compromise on safety,” Kirby made clear that he thinks there needs to be a solution that addresses the root of the airports issues. And fast.
Key legislators from all parties
have called
For federal intervention at the airport, Kirby stated that President Donald Trump and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy have proposed “a strategy to finance and implement a comprehensive upgrade of our outdated system.” According to Kirby, this represents “significant progress,” though he noted that “it will require considerable time” to come into effect.
There are no shortcuts when it comes to overhauling a technological infrastructure as extensive, intricate, and vital to our economy and national security,” he stated. “Swiftly reverting Newark back to a Level 3 slot-managed airport would be the most efficient method to alleviate pressure on air traffic controllers and enhance service quality for travelers.
Kirby referred to the airport as “a crown jewel of the region” but mentioned that it handles more flights than the FAA can manage.
Kirby stated that compared to the time when slots were still used, Newark currently experiences: 18% more customer cancellations, 17% more late arrivals, and 43% more passengers experiencing delays of over an hour.
“He mentioned that it was an error to remove the airport from its designated slot. Every piece of evidence indicates this.”
Even with these operational challenges, The Financial Times
reported
United’s improved communication and strategic changes have assisted in sustaining investor trust, as evidenced by the company’s stock demonstrating strength despite the disturbances.
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