United Airlines has launched a fee waiver for passengers to change their flights to Newark Liberty International Airport, following nine days of cancellations and delays.
According to a statement made by United Airlines on May 2, the delays and cancellations come as a result of severe air traffic control staff shortages and technical issues with the US Federal Aviation Authority’s air traffic control equipment.
In the past couple of days, these issues were exacerbated by poor weather conditions.
“Unfortunately, the technology issues were compounded as over 20% of the FAA controllers for EWR walked off the job. Keep in mind, this particular air traffic control facility has been chronically understaffed for years and without these controllers, it’s now clear – and the FAA tells us – that Newark airport cannot handle the number of planes that are scheduled to operate there in the weeks and months ahead,” said United Airlines.
Since May 3, United has cancelled 35 roundtrips per day from its Newark schedule. According to Flightradar, only two of the airline’s daily Johannesburg-Newark flights have been impacted, on May 1 and May 5. However, almost all of the return flights since April 29, have been delayed.
As a result of the continued cancellations and delays, United has extended its fee waiver for passengers to change any booking made on or before May 4, for flights between May 6 and May 17.
However, the new flight must be a United flight departing between two days prior and two days after their original travel date. Tickets must also be in the same cabin and between the same cities as originally booked or to New York La Guardia.
