United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby on Tuesday moved to calm growing concerns about operational safety at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR), assuring customers that the facility remains “absolutely safe and fully compliant” despite a recent series of technical disruptions and staffing shortfalls that prompted the airline to reduce its daily flight schedule from the hub.
In a letter shared with frequent flyers and during remarks at a press conference held at United’s Terminal C, Kirby acknowledged the recent frustrations experienced by passengers traveling through Newark—United’s third-busiest hub—while pushing back on what he called “sensationalist narratives” about safety risks.
“Let me be very clear: Newark is safe,” Kirby said. “We are facing challenges, yes—but they are operational, not structural. We are proactively scaling back to ensure reliability and safety remain our top priorities.”
United has cut approximately 14% of its daily departures out of Newark, or about 40 flights, citing a “perfect storm” of FAA staffing constraints, legacy software outages, and an unusual spate of severe weather over the past six weeks that has disproportionately affected Northeast air traffic.
The reductions are temporary, Kirby emphasized, with most cuts affecting regional and short-haul domestic routes, such as service to upstate New York and parts of New England. Transatlantic flights and major domestic corridors remain largely intact.
“We’d rather operate fewer flights well than stretch the system too thin,” said Toby Enqvist, United’s Chief Customer Officer.
According to internal memos obtained by The New York Budget, recent issues at Newark have included:
- Technology Glitches: A malfunction in United’s gate management software caused widespread delays in late April.
- Air Traffic Staffing: FAA tower staffing at EWR remains 23% below optimal levels, according to union estimates.
- Runway Congestion: Construction and overlapping arrival times led to ground delays averaging 65 minutes during peak evening hours.
The FAA, which oversees air traffic control, acknowledged the staffing shortfall and pledged to accelerate hiring and training efforts. A spokesperson confirmed that Newark is among the agency’s top-priority zones for controller recruitment in 2025.
Meanwhile, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey—the operator of EWR—said the airport infrastructure is “not in question,” pointing instead to “national airspace bottlenecks” and rising passenger demand as contributing factors.
“Our systems passed all recent safety inspections,” said Kevin O’Toole, chairman of the Port Authority. “We are in constant communication with United and federal authorities to minimize disruption.”
Despite assurances, the disruptions have not gone unnoticed by travelers. On social media, some have labeled EWR the “black hole of East Coast airports,” citing multiple cancellations and missed connections.
United’s Net Promoter Score (NPS) dropped 7 points in Q2 compared to the same period last year, with the Newark hub cited as the number one complaint area in customer service surveys.
To win back goodwill, United is offering 5,000-mile travel credits to MileagePlus members who experienced flight disruptions out of EWR between April 10 and May 5. The airline is also deploying additional customer service personnel and rebooking agents at the terminal during peak hours.
“We owe it to our customers to get this right,” Kirby said. “We’ve made hard choices, and we’re going to be transparent every step of the way.”
United executives said they expect flight schedules to return to normal by late June, contingent on FAA staffing progress and continued stability in their software systems. The airline has also initiated a $300 million investment in terminal upgrades and digital infrastructure at Newark, set to roll out over the next two years.
Industry analysts note that while United is not alone in grappling with post-pandemic capacity strains and labor mismatches, its aggressive Northeast footprint makes it particularly vulnerable to chokepoints like Newark.
“This is about long-term resilience,” said Helane Becker, airline analyst at TD Cowen. “United has taken a short-term reputational hit, but their decision to reduce flights instead of risking bigger meltdowns shows maturity.”
Newark remains a critical pillar of United’s domestic and international network, and despite current operational headwinds, the airline’s leadership insists safety is not up for compromise. With summer travel season approaching, United’s next challenge is to restore passenger confidence—flight by flight.
