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(Newark, NJ) – Air travel is never a picnic. Well, maybe it’s not so bad if you have a private jet — but then we’ve also heard, “mo’ money, mo’ problems.” At Newark Airport, just getting off the ground has been difficult, amid widespread delays and cancellations.
Meanwhile, that trend is causing major headaches for United Airlines. CEO Scott Kirby said the combination of cancelations and staffing shortages at Newark Liberty International Airport led to a corresponding drop in bookings — denting the air carrier’s profits.
Within just two weeks time, radar and communications technology crashed at the airport. And reports emerged in the wake of all that about how outdated the equipment in use is. For example, it dates back to the Apollo program. Kirby spoke to the Wall Street Journal and said “we took a big drop in bookings for a few weeks.”
Kirby also said United Airlines is likely to announce quarterly earnings-per-share in line with the middle of its forecast range — but contends it would have come in nearer the high end minus all the disruptions. The CEO also blamed a “perception” of chaos at Newark Airport, adding flying through there remains safe. “People should book with confidence. Now’s the time to buy,” Kirby contended in speaking to WSJ. He added “you’re gonna get a better price than you normally will. I wish you weren’t, but you will.”
In fact, with many Tri-state area travelers switching flights to LaGuardia or JFK, Kirby maintains Newark will have the fewest disruptions this summer. That’s because the FAA reduced the number of allowed flights as a result of the ongoing problems.
What’s more, Kirby agrees with the flight restriction plan. “I have been begging the FAA to do that for a decade, and they (finally) are,” he notes.
There’s also a potential fix in place for Newark, in terms of how the airport communicates with the Air Traffic Control Center near Philadelphia. An outdated fiberoptic cable has been replaced with a new one, and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has expressed hope that will drastically improve matters.
