Latest news with #flightreductions
Bloomberg
08-08-2025
- Business
- Bloomberg
FAA Proposes Extending Newark Flight Restrictions Through 2026
The US Federal Aviation Administration proposed extending flight reductions at Newark Liberty International Airport through October 2026, while also slightly raising the current limit. The regulator sought public comment on its plan in a notice filed Friday. It said continued reductions are needed as the agency deals with an air traffic controller staffing crunch at a Philadelphia facility that guides planes in and out of the busy New York-area hub.
Times of Oman
23-06-2025
- Business
- Times of Oman
After widebody aircraft, Air India now reduces narrowbody flights
New Delhi: Air India on Sunday announced a temporary reduction of less than 5 per cent to its overall narrowbody network, following previous announcements of temporary reductions in its widebody international services by 15 per cent. The latest decision leads to the temporary suspension of Air India's services on three routes and reduction of frequency on 19 routes. The changes are effective until at least July 15, the airline said in a statement. These reductions are aimed at strengthening Air India's network-wide operational stability and minimising last-minute inconvenience to passengers. Despite these temporary reductions, Air India said it will continue to operate close to 600 daily flights with its narrowbody aircraft on 120 domestic and short-haul international routes. In the statement, Air India apologises to the passengers affected by these curtailments and added it is proactively contacting affected passengers to offer re-accommodation on alternative flights, complimentary rescheduling or full refunds as per their preferences. "The revised schedule is being progressively made available on our website, mobile app and through our contact centre. We remain committed to restoring our full schedule as soon as practicable, while at all times prioritising the safety of our passengers, crew and aircraft," the airline added. In other news, Air India on Sunday said that all its flights are currently avoiding certain airspaces over the Persian Gulf, amidst escalating tensions between Israel and Iran. An Air India spokesperson, in a statement, said the adjustment in route may lead to extended flight durations to destinations including the UAE, Qatar, Oman, and Kuwait, besides some flights to/from Europe and North America. "Amid escalating tensions in the Gulf region, Air India group confirms that our flights currently do not operate over the airspaces of Iran, Iraq and Israel," the Air India spokesperson said. As a proactive measure, Air India said it will be progressively avoiding the use of certain airspace over the Persian Gulf in the coming days, opting instead for alternative paths for flights to destinations including the UAE, Qatar, Oman, and Kuwait. "This adjustment may lead to extended flight durations for these services, as well as for select flights to/from Europe and North America. Air India is in continuous consultation with our external security advisors and is vigilantly monitoring the evolving situation, ready to implement additional measures, if required, to uphold the safety and integrity of our operations. We will keep our passengers informed of any updates. The safety and security of our passengers, staff, and aircraft remain our number one priority," the Air India spokesperson added in the brief statement.
The Independent
21-05-2025
- Business
- The Independent
How flight reductions at Newark Airport are impacting prices at nearby airports
Despite Newark Liberty International Airport reducing the number of flights coming in and out, airlines operating at nearby airports do not yet appear to be drastically raising their prices as travelers seek alternative hubs to fly out of – although there are signs of some changes. Examining flights from three major airlines flying out of Newark Airport, LaGuardia Airport, Philadelphia International Airport and John F. Kennedy International Airport, most domestic flights appeared to cost less on May 21 than they did on April 23. It's good news for travelers who may be seeking other airports to fly out of after Newark reduced the number of flights coming in and out. Facing technological and communication outages, a shortage in air traffic controllers and runway construction, the Federal Aviation Administration said on Tuesday it would cap the number of departures and arrivals at 56 total. That was after air traffic controllers and officials sounded the alarm over safety concerns due to outdated technology, causing widespread outages that briefly shut down air tower communications and radars with pilots. Outages of that sort have occurred four times within the last month, traumatizing workers, alarming officials and worrying passengers. But passengers seeking to travel can still travel out of Newark – or opt for more flight options at nearby facilities. According to Google Travel price tracker, a flight from LaGuardia Airport to Miami International Airport between June 20 and June 23 costs $39 less, on average, than it did before the first outage at Newark was reported. The same flight from Philadelphia Airport to Miami costs, on average, $11 less, though major airlines' prices have individually increased. At JFK Airport, prices have increased, on average, $31. While each airline operates differently and prices depend on the day, the findings indicate that local flight prices are not drastically impacted by the issues at Newark Airport. 'In terms of pricing, I haven't really noticed so much of a trend,' John Skorin, a travel agent with Carlisle Travel, told The Independent. 'But in terms of airports, there has been a certain tendency to try and avoid Newark if at all possible unless it's a nonstop to Newark,' Skorin said. Newark Airport is one of the busiest airports in the country, and its recent challenges have led to massive flight delays and cancellations. Jerry Saxe, the president of Carlisle Travel, told The Independent that a friend of his was stuck in Chicago for two days because her flight into Newark was cancelled and a flight to LaGuardia was sold out. 'So what's happening in Newark is affecting the whole area,' Saxe said. Like many other air traffic control towers, Newark Airport has operated with a shortage of controllers for years. But those staffing shortages took another hit on April 28 when radio communications went out for 30 seconds and radars blacked out for 90 seconds. The event left air traffic controllers scrambling and fearing for the lives of those flying in the sky. At least five staffers had to take a 45-day trauma leave due to the impact. Officials have attributed the technological and communications issues to an overwhelmed system. Last year, Newark moved its air traffic control facility hub from Long Island to Philadelphia, which some have alleged was ill-equipped to handle the traffic. The system, which is believed to be outdated, has had at least four outages over the last month as a result. The FAA and the Department of Transportation said they are working on a solution to update systems. Christopher Rocheleau, the FAA Administrator, said on Tuesday that they hope the temporary reduction in arrivals and departures at Newark Airport 'relieve the substantial inconvenience to the traveling public from excessive flight delays due to construction, staffing challenges, and recent equipment issues, which magnify as they spread through the National Airspace System.'
Bloomberg
13-05-2025
- Business
- Bloomberg
United Air Warns Flyers of Reduced Newark Service Through Summer
United Airlines Holdings Inc. expects flight reductions at Newark airport to linger through summer and into fall as the crucial travel hub struggles to recover from air traffic control glitches that have already disrupted hundreds of flights. 'Hopefully, as we'll get through the summer and fall, when staffing with the FAA improves, we can increase the number,' United Chief Commercial Officer Andrew Nocella said at an event Tuesday in New York, referring to the Federal Aviation Administration. 'The most important thing,' Nocella said, is ensuring that each flight is 'going to go, and it's going to go on time.'
Travel Weekly
12-05-2025
- Travel Weekly
Troubled Newark Airport faces temporary flight cap
The FAA will convene with domestic airlines this week to negotiate flight reductions at Newark Airport. The meeting will begin Wednesday morning and is expected to last at least through Thursday. The temporary limits are to be put in place as Newark's operations continue to falter. The FAA had another in a long series of ground delays in place for Newark on Monday due to technical and staffing issues, and 40 Newark flights had been canceled Monday as of 12:30 p.m. local time, according to FlightAware. According to the meeting notice, the FAA plans to propose a maximum of 28 scheduled departures and 28 arrivals per hour until June 15, when a runway that is currently closed for repairs is due to reopen. The current maximum for departures and arrivals levels varies depending on conditions throughout the day (including weather), staffing levels and equipment capabilities, the FAA said. But for means of comparison, Monday's temporary ground delay at Newark is limiting hourly departures to between 20 and 28, depending upon the hour in question. A cap of 28 departures and arrivals per hour, therefore, would align with recent FAA-imposed limitations. When Newark runway work is paused in June, the FAA's proposal would target a maximum of 34 arrivals and 34 departures per hour at the airport through the end of October. Schedule reductions would only address domestic operations, since the scheduled operations by foreign airlines are managed through a process overseen by IATA. Air traffic control technical problems have been recurrent at Newark in recent weeks. On Sunday, the FAA issued its latest ground stop at the airport, lasting for 45 minutes, due to a telecommunications issue at the Philadelphia Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON) facility that manages Newark approaches. That followed an approximately 90-second telecommunications and radar display outage early Friday morning at Philadelphia TRACON and a similar length outage of radio and radar on April 28, which led several controllers to take trauma leave. Since April 15, Newark has averaged 34 arrival cancellations per day, according to the FAA, with the frequency of the cancellations increasing as the day goes on. Delays have also plagued the airport, with the average delay lasting 87 minutes at 7 a.m. and increasing to 137 minutes at 5 p.m. "The airport clearly is unable to handle the current level of scheduled operations," the FAA meeting notice says. United, Newark's dominant carrier, has already pared back its schedule by 35 flights per day at Newark to manage the situation. And a solution will take time. The portion of the Philadelphia TRACON that oversees Newark is currently short 14 controllers and is just 63% staffed. On Sunday, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and United CEO Scott Kirby went on morning network talk shows, where they assured the public that despite the various technical problems that have impacted Newark air traffic control of late, flying to the airport is safe. "Is it safe? Yes, we have redundancies, multiple redundancies in place to keep you safe when you fly," Duffy said on "Meet the Press." "But we should also recognize we're seeing stress on an old network, and it's time to fix it."
