This isn’t about loads, or a subpar 757 product, or financial performance. UA JFK loads on the 757 have been strong (80s-90s) most of this year.
The problem is the foreign airlines that temporarily suspended service to JFK and ceded slots back to the PANYNJ want back in effective this upcoming winter schedule, with exemptions expiring, and UA will lose its rights to take off and land there.
In the intervening 18 months or so since UA relaunched service to JFK, they haven’t been able to secure new slots, despite pulling every possible lever to do so. That’s on United, they have nobody else to blame, even though it wasn’t precipitated by this management team’s move in the first place.
Keep an eye on the case, which is (as of two weeks ago) set to go to a bench trial on 9/27:
https://www.reuters.com/legal/govern...rd-2022-06-09/
Specifically, the DOJ is alleging, "
The Northeast Alliance combines American’s and JetBlue’s operations at four major airports: Boston Logan, John F. Kennedy, LaGuardia and Newark Liberty . . . T
he Northeast Alliance will also allow the parties to pool their gates and takeoff and landing authorizations, known as “slots.” According to the complaint, this unprecedented combination would raise prices and reduce choices for air passengers traveling to and from Boston and New York City."
It is not beyond the realm of possibility that the trial leads to some mandated divestiture at BOS/JFK, and a public auction for those authorities... which would be timely for United at JFK.