United delays 2 high-profile routes just weeks before their inaugurals
Editor's Note
Portugal's Algarve region won't be connected to the U.S. this summer by nonstop flights.
That's because United Airlines filed plans to scrap its upcoming route from Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) to Faro International Airport (FAO), as first seen in Cirium schedules and later confirmed by a carrier spokesperson.
Originally, the airline had planned to commence service on this 3,494-mile route on May 24, meaning that United is cutting the route just weeks before it was supposed to start.
Affected travelers will be offered alternative flight options or a refund.
United announced last year that it would become the first and only airline connecting the U.S. and the Algarve region with nonstop flights this summer. The carrier had planned to deploy a Boeing 757-200 on this four-times-weekly route throughout the peak summer season.
It's unlike United to cancel such a splashy new route with such short notice, especially considering how the carrier made a big marketing push around the new route when it was originally announced in October. (In fact, it was even a contender for the Cranky Network Award for the sexiest new long-haul route of the year.)
Turns out, the reason for United's close-in cancellation is due to the ongoing Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) audit that commenced just a few days ago due to recent safety events involving the airline, as confirmed by a carrier spokesperson. Over the last month, United aircraft have been involved in some high-profile incidents that, while concerning in nature, have not led to any passenger injuries.
While this audit is ongoing, the airline is barred from adding new outstations that haven't been previously approved by the FAA, according to sources familiar with this matter.
If there's any good news, the airline told TPG that it would try flying to Faro again for the summer 2025 season. These flights haven't been loaded into United's schedule yet (which only extends 330 days in the future), so we'll monitor the timetables to ensure United follows through with this plan.
While Faro might've been the highest-profile United route on the chopping block this season, the airline's network planners needed to do some more work this weekend.
The carrier is delaying the start of its new Tokyo to Cebu, Philippines, route to Oct. 27. Originally announced early last month, Cebu service was supposed to launch on July 31. United plans to operate this route with a Boeing 737-800 with a crew staffed from the carrier's Guam hub.
Cebu, like Faro, is a new outstation for United, and due to the increased FAA oversight, the carrier can't add this new route-map pin right now.
Closer to home, United is also scrapping three North American routes, as first seen in Cirium schedules. This includes service from Houston to Boise, Idaho, and Hartford, Connecticut. And from the carrier's hub at Washington's Dulles International Airport (IAD), it's dropping Key West, Florida.
United's Dulles-to-Calgary route, which was added in response to Canadian low-cost carrier WestJet's expansion earlier this year, was originally planned to operate as year-round service. This weekend, the carrier switched the flight to summer-seasonal service.
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