United Airlines (NASDAQ:UAL) will cut about 50 daily flights from Newark Liberty International Airport next month in an effort to reduce delays that have disrupted travelers’ plans this year.
The cuts amount to about 12% of United’s schedule in its New Jersey hub and apply solely to domestic flights, starting July 1.
United executives have said the delays are the result of capacity constraints, airport construction and air traffic control — not airline staffing shortfalls.
From the start of the year through mid-June, 31% of flights at 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 COO told staff in a note Thursday that “after the last few weeks of irregular operations in Newark, caused by many factors including airport construction, we reached out to the FAA and received a waiver allowing us to temporarily adjust our schedule there for the remainder of the summer.”
United said it is currently not ending service to any cities, but will reduce the number of flights it operates to certain markets.
“Even though we have the planes, pilots, crews, and staff to support our Newark schedule, this waiver will allow us to remove about 50 daily departures which should help minimize excessive delays and improve on-time performance – not only for our customers, but for everyone flying through Newark,” he wrote.
UAL shares lost 64 cents, or 1.7%, to $36.08.
