United Airlines to cut 50 daily flights at Newark starting July 1

United Airlines announced it will cut 50 daily departures from Newark, New Jersey, this summer beginning July 1, a 12% reduction of the carrier’s schedule there.

The airline said Thursday that passengers whose flights are affected will be contacted about alternative options.

United’s Executive Vice President of Operations Jon Roitman said in a statement that the move is meant to keep things operating smoother after a series of bad days so far this summer.

“After the last few weeks of irregular operations in Newark, caused by many factors including airport construction, we reached out to the FAA and received a waiver allowing us to temporarily adjust our schedule there for the remainder of the summer,” Roitman said. “We do not anticipate any schedule changes at our other six domestic hubs this summer.”

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According to United, all the flights being cut are domestic, and all the markets the airline serves from Newark will continue to be connected, though some with lower frequencies.

United is not the only airline reducing its schedule amid this summer’s travel surge. American Airlines announced earlier this week that it would end service to four cities on its regional affiliates after Labor Day, and JetBlue previously announced a 10% reduction in flights this summer.

While a pilot shortage is behind many of these cuts, United insists the reductions in Newark have nothing to do with its own staffing.

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“Even though we have the planes, pilots, crews, and staff to support our Newark schedule, this (FAA) waiver will allow us to remove about 50 daily departures which should help minimize excessive delays and improve on-time performance – not only for our customers, but for everyone flying through Newark,” Roitman said. “Our (COVID) recovery plan has been to only sell a schedule we could fly and put customers first, even if that meant sacrificing some short-term revenue.”