Widespread summer travel disruptions bring attention to an underfunded FAA
As severe thunderstorms continue to batter the U.S. and cause thousands of cancellations and delays at airports across the country, some airlines are pointing fingers at the Federal Aviation Administration for the shortcomings.
On Tuesday morning, airlines reported over 1,300 delayed flights and 870 cancellations. The issue has brought renewed attention to the FAA, which slowed and halted flights out of major Northeast hubs like New York, Newark, Philadelphia and Boston this past weekend due to thunderstorms in the region.
Monday saw close to 3,000 cancellations and almost 9,000 delays in the U.S., according to FlightAware. The agency also experienced an equipment outage in the Washington, D.C. area, further exacerbating the already-widespread disruptions. An overheated power cable at an FAA facility brought flights to a halt for about two hours Sunday.
United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby criticized the FAA over the delays and cancellations in a Monday memo to the carrier's staff, as The Wall Street Journal first reported. Among U.S. airlines, United — which operates a major hub at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) — reported the most cancellations and delays due to the inclement weather.
"I'm also frustrated that the FAA frankly failed us this weekend," the United CEO wrote in the memo obtained by TPG.
Kirby said in the memo that the FAA has been able to handle severe weather in the past without significantly hampering the airline's operations and passenger experience.
He added that the FAA cut arrival rates by 40% and departure rates by 75%, leading to mass delays and cancellations during the past three days. As disruptions peaked on Monday, United had over 1,200 delays and almost 600 cancellations. Kirby estimated that around 150,000 United passengers were affected by the disruptions.
"[T]hat put everyone behind the eight ball when weather actually did hit on Sunday and was further compounded by FAA staffing shortages Sunday evening," he continued in the memo.
As of Tuesday morning, the Chicago-based carrier had 379 delays and 372 cancellations, according to FlightAware. Also, Newark has led U.S. airports with the most travel disruptions during the past three days, with 158 cancellations and 85 delays as of Tuesday morning.
An FAA spokesperson said in a statement that the agency "will always collaborate with anyone seriously willing to join us to solve a problem."
The agency has received scrutiny this past year after it issued a rare nationwide ground stop in January following an early-morning computer outage. The incident highlighted the FAA's dated infrastructure and staffing shortages that have hindered the agency since the pandemic began.
However, some airline industry experts have cautioned against placing all the blame on the FAA for the summer travel woes. Henry Harteveldt, a travel industry analyst and president of Atmosphere Research, said the disruptions were "a shared responsibility."
"It is not fair to pin all the blame on the FAA; they are trying to hire and have been trying to hire more air traffic controllers," Harteveldt said, adding that the agency has struggled to market itself to younger people.
Harteveldt added that the FAA has also struggled to obtain adequate funding from the federal government for infrastructure upgrades.
"If the government doesn't give the FAA enough money, then it's difficult for the FAA to fulfill all of its obligations," Harteveldt said.
The FAA is up for a reauthorization vote in September, and that reauthorization bill, which includes provisions for modernizing the agency's equipment and initiatives to boost hiring, has bipartisan support in Congress.
Airlines for America, the trade group that represents the most U.S. airlines, said in a statement that it has repeatedly warned of FAA staffing issues impeding travel as it returns to pre-pandemic levels, referring to a Department of Transportation audit on the FAA that came to the same conclusion.
Sharon Pinkerton, A4A's senior vice president of legislative and regulatory policy, said in a Senate commerce committee hearing in February regarding the FAA's reauthorization that she did not believe the agency was equipped to handle a resurgence in travel.
"Unfortunately, the FAA is on the precipice of being overwhelmed, if they are not already," Pinkerton said at the Senate hearing.
The widespread disruptions come as the airline industry gears up for the Fourth of July holiday weekend, which is expected to be one of the busiest travel periods in recent memory. While the disruptions seemed to wane Tuesday, it is unclear if any other severe weather could again trigger mass cancellations and delays during the summer travel season.
Kirby said in the memo he plans to speak with officials at the DOT and FAA about preventing similar travel meltdowns this summer and offer to lobby for more resources for the FAA. The United CEO also said the carrier will be "overstaffed" and "over resourced" to mitigate the impact of any further travel disruptions.
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There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.