United will cut flights from Newark as delays and congestion get worse
United Airlines plans to cut as many as 50 daily flights from Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR), the airline said on Thursday, part of an effort to address congestion that has led to deteriorating reliability at its New York-area hub.
The cuts, which will take effect on July 1 and continue through the end of summer, come after the FAA approved a waiver request from the Chicago-based airline to reduce its schedule at Newark, chief operations officer Jon Roitman said in a memo to employees, which was seen by TPG.
The cuts "should help minimize excessive delays and improve on-time performance – not only for our customers, but for everyone flying through Newark," Roitman wrote.
Only domestic flights are affected, and only flights which have multiple frequencies each day, a United spokesperson said, meaning the airline will not exit any markets. The airline will reach out to impacted customers to help schedule them on alternate frequencies.
Roitman and the spokesperson emphasized that the cuts are not due to staffing shortages. The airline does not expect to cut schedules at any other domestic hubs this summer, Roitman wrote.
The cuts come after months of public complaints from United about overscheduling among all airlines at Newark.
While the airport is not traditionally slot-controlled like other New York airports, the FAA effectively manages slots by imposing a 79-per-hour operations limit on the airport and approving airline schedules. An "operation" refers to a take-off or landing.
United has said that while it abides by the limit, but accused JetBlue and Spirit of overscheduling and causing congestion at the airport.
Related: United CEO blasts FAA, JetBlue and Spirit over Newark flight woes
While operations at the airport only occasionally exceed the 79 combined takeoffs and landings limit, according to Cirium, that limit does not factor in cargo airline operations, and assumes optimal conditions — weather, operations, air traffic control patterns, and so on — an alignment of stars that Kirby described as “rare at Newark” in an April earnings call.
Earlier in April, Roitman told employees in a memo seen by TPG that the airline was actively warning the FAA of a worsening situation during the summer travel months.
“We’ve recently asked specifically for transparency on approved schedules out of Newark and for the FAA’s procedures to be applied fairly and consistently across all carriers,” Roitman wrote at the time. “For our part, we follow the FAA’s rules and plan our Newark schedules accordingly. But our planning depends on other carriers – so it’s time for them to follow the rules, too.”
More: FAA will offer Newark slots to low-cost airline, spurring competition for United
United operates roughly 70% of flights at Newark, which is the nation's 14th busiest airport. The cuts represent about 12% of United's schedule at Newark. Spirit and JetBlue have rejected United's claims that they've overscheduling, describing efforts to blame the two smaller airlines as "misleading."
Last fall, the FAA said it would award several available Newark schedule spots to a low-cost airline — with Spirit and JetBlue emerging as front-runners — after Southwest pulled out from the airport.
United's cuts come as other airlines, including Delta and American, have cut routes and frequencies in their broader networks due to an ongoing shortage of pilots and other staff.
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- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
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- 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.
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- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.
Rewards Rate
| 4X | 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. |
| 4X | 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. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Intro Offer
You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.Annual Fee
$325Recommended Credit
Credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.Excellent to Good
Why We Chose It
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.