United Airlines CEO Blames FAA for Travel Disruptions
By Donald Wood
Last updated: 8:55 am ET, Wednesday, June 28, 2023
The United Airlines CEO, Scott Kirby, has attributed a series of travel disruptions this past weekend to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). According to Reuters.com, Kirby communicated to airline employees that the FAA’s issues with staffing and inexperience led to thousands of delays and cancellations at Newark Liberty International Airport, which is one of the busiest hubs for the airline.
Due to ongoing storms that lasted through the weekend and into the start of the business week, airlines were compelled to cancel over 5,400 domestic flights as of Saturday. In a letter to employees, Kirby placed the blame on the FAA for these problems.
Kirby remarked, “As you know, the weather that we saw at EWR is something that the FAA has historically been able to manage without a severe impact on our operation and customers. This past Saturday, however, was different.”
He continued, “The FAA reduced arrival rates by 40 percent and departure rates by 75 percent. It is almost certainly a reflection of the understaffing/inexperience at the FAA. It led to massive delays, cancellations, diversions, as well as crews and aircraft out of position.”
FAA officials admitted that they were compelled to “pause” sorties to the Washington DC area due to a computer glitch at an air traffic control facility in the region. These issues then led to delays and cancellations in the Northeast, which were further aggravated by the inclement weather that began on Sunday.
In response, an FAA spokesperson stated that the government agency is willing to “engage with anyone who is seriously willing to join us in solving a problem.”
Last year, Kirby and other airline executives expressed their opinion that the FAA is still contributing to delays and cancellations. The CEO also emphasized during a Global Aerospace Summit that the government agency requires more air traffic controllers.
In conclusion, the FAA’s problems with staffing and inexperience caused significant travel disruptions over the weekend, leading to thousands of delays and cancellations for United Airlines at Newark Liberty International Airport. Both weather conditions and a computer glitch at an air traffic control facility compounded these issues, resulting in further challenges in the Northeast. The FAA has expressed a willingness to work with concerned parties to address the problem, and industry leaders like Scott Kirby continue to advocate for increased staffing and resources within the government agency to mitigate future disruptions.
For the latest news, updates, and travel deals, subscribe to the TravelPulse Newsletter.
Source
