United Airlines Says Newark Airport Is Back to Normal After a Summer of Chaos
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
After a summer of widespread flight delays and cancellations, United Airlines has announced that its operations at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) have finally returned to normal. The airline and federal officials say a combination of factors, from construction to staffing shortages, contributed to the tumultuous period, but new measures are helping to get operations back on track.
What Went Wrong at EWR This Summer?
Travelers flying in and out of Newark experienced significant disruptions from spring through much of the summer. The root causes were a perfect storm of issues:
- Construction: Ongoing runway construction created bottlenecks and reduced capacity.
- Staffing Shortages: Both air traffic control and airline staffing levels were stretched thin.
- Technical Failures: In one instance in April, air traffic controllers temporarily lost radar and radio contact with planes.
The resulting chaos led to a sharp drop in flight bookings, with United’s flights operating about 15% below capacity.
How EWR Bounced Back
United executives credit the turnaround to a collaborative effort to improve airport operations. Key solutions included:
- FAA Flight Limits: The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) temporarily capped flights at 68 per hour to reduce congestion, with a new limit of 72 flights per hour planned through next summer.
- Infrastructure Upgrades: Weekday runway construction wrapped up in June, and new fiber optic cables were installed to boost communication reliability.
- Increased Staffing: United plans to hire 2,500 additional staff at the Newark hub to support new domestic and international flights.
Despite the challenges, United’s Chief Operations Officer Toby Enqvist noted that it was the airline’s busiest summer on record at EWR, with six million passengers traveling on time. The airline is committed to maintaining its improved performance and expanding its services at the critical Newark hub.
Gusto is a payroll and HR software that helps you pay your team, file taxes, offer benefits, and more. See how Gusto compares to other providers, get a free trial, and learn how to switch to Gusto in minutes.
https://gusto.com/i/james3539
