UA cutting 50 daily flights from EWR during summer 2022
#17
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Houston
Programs: UA Plat, Marriott Gold
Posts: 12,693
Well if you keep complaining to the government that there are too many planes landing and taking off every day from Newark - and your competition keeps adding flights and there is nothing you can do about it - how would you best make your point and preserve revenue? I don’t think UA cares about statistics at all - just revenue….
Last edited by WineCountryUA; Jun 23, 2022 at 8:55 pm Reason: merged consecutive posts by same member
#18
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: ORD
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 16,901
TATL has been absolutely gangbusters for UA this year. No chance any are taken off the schedule for this move, and you're right, the cuts will be domestic only.
Most likely on the chopping block are afternoon/evening UAX frequencies within 500 or so miles of EWR, especially where there are multiple flights after 6pm. E.g., 5x DCA-EWR flights schedule to arrive between 6-9pm. I would expect that number to go down.
Most likely on the chopping block are afternoon/evening UAX frequencies within 500 or so miles of EWR, especially where there are multiple flights after 6pm. E.g., 5x DCA-EWR flights schedule to arrive between 6-9pm. I would expect that number to go down.
#19
Join Date: Sep 2009
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold, HHonors Gold, Hyatt Gold, Marriott Gold
Posts: 69
My flight change was apparently uploaded into the system already. When I saw the news story I checked my flights. I was traveling next month LHR-EWR-TPA.
The EWR-TPA leg was canceled and I was rebooked to LHR-ORD-TPA with a 2 hr layover at ORD so it will be tight.
No notification from United.
The EWR-TPA leg was canceled and I was rebooked to LHR-ORD-TPA with a 2 hr layover at ORD so it will be tight.
No notification from United.
#20
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: San Francisco
Programs: UA MM Plat, UA 1MM, Hilton Lifetime Gold, Marriott Gold, Hertz Gold, CLEAR, AS MVP Gold
Posts: 3,618
#21
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,405
Well if you keep complaining to the government that there are too many planes landing and taking off every day from Newark - and your competition keeps adding flights and there is nothing you can do about it - how would you best make your point and preserve revenue? I don’t think UA cares about statistics at all - just revenue….
And, they really do care about those statistics, because the DOT cares about them.
#22
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: HNL
Programs: UA GS4MM, MR LT Plat, Hilton Gold
Posts: 6,447
The cuts are not due to pilot or crew shortages, Kirby said.
According to the video - UA saying ATC understaffed and EWR taking more flights it can handle - the move is to improve on time performance and reduce cancellations.
United Airlines cutting 50 daily flights from Newark Liberty International Airport - ABC7 New York (abc7ny.com)
According to the video - UA saying ATC understaffed and EWR taking more flights it can handle - the move is to improve on time performance and reduce cancellations.
United Airlines cutting 50 daily flights from Newark Liberty International Airport - ABC7 New York (abc7ny.com)
#23
Join Date: Nov 2010
Programs: UA Premier Platinum, DL Platinum
Posts: 597
If UA is cutting flights, I strongly suspect they'll make cuts to their DCA-EWR route. They're operating these flights almost every half-hour at peak times using CRJ550s, some of the lowest-capacity planes in the UAX fleet. Which might be nice for customers (more space!) if they actually departed roughly on time. But, in my experience, these flights start running into cascading delays around 2-4 PM because (a) EWR (airport and ATC) is jammed and (b) United simply doesn't have enough gate space at DCA, so it's an abject cluster of UA ground staff trying to load these flights while arriving planes wait on the tarmac.
As a passenger who would otherwise strongly consider DCA-EWR-XXX connections, especially international, I won't do it with such an unreliable operation. Which, I suspect, undermines the whole strategy of running high-frequency, low-capacity flights on that route ("See, there's a flight right when you need it!").
If UA cuts DCA-EWR flights by two-thirds but upgrades to a 737-800/900, they could move just as many people in likely a more timely manner.
(Or they could be real heroes and start running a 752 EWR-DCA-SFO.)
As a passenger who would otherwise strongly consider DCA-EWR-XXX connections, especially international, I won't do it with such an unreliable operation. Which, I suspect, undermines the whole strategy of running high-frequency, low-capacity flights on that route ("See, there's a flight right when you need it!").
If UA cuts DCA-EWR flights by two-thirds but upgrades to a 737-800/900, they could move just as many people in likely a more timely manner.
(Or they could be real heroes and start running a 752 EWR-DCA-SFO.)
Last edited by ezefllying; Jun 23, 2022 at 2:58 pm
#24
Join Date: Sep 2018
Programs: UA Gold, Hilton Gold, Marriott Gold, IHG Platinum Elite
Posts: 185
#25
Join Date: Jul 2001
Programs: Hilton Lifetime Diamond
Posts: 1,266
I don’t understand why more passengers don’t take Amtrak Acela trains rather than fly between EWR and DCA. I guess this would not be good for connectors, but otherwise Acela is better experience…..maybe a little longer than flying (if flights are on time) but just less stressful.
Last edited by milesmilesmiles; Jun 23, 2022 at 4:14 pm
#26
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: LHR, DFW, J Cabins WorldWide
Programs: AA EXP, UA GS, FB Gold, AS MVPG, MR Titanium, VS Gold
Posts: 954
Had a EWR-MIA effected by this on July 25 - had to cancel the UA and rebook on AA as not going to wait around EWR for the now 5+ hr connection from a LHR-EWR
#27
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Los Angeles / Basel
Programs: UA 1K MM, AA EXP, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 26,926
I don’t understand why more passengers don’t take Amtrak Acela trains rather fly between EWR and DCA. I guess this would not be good for connectors, but otherwise Acela is better experience…..maybe a little longer than flying (if flights are on time) but just less stressful.
#28
Join Date: Nov 2010
Programs: UA Premier Platinum, DL Platinum
Posts: 597
I don’t understand why more passengers don’t take Amtrak Acela trains rather fly between EWR and DCA. I guess this would not be good for connectors, but otherwise Acela is better experience…..maybe a little longer than flying (if flights are on time) but just less stressful.
Now, I wish United would bring back its relationship with Amtrak and convince them to stop a couple Acelas right at EWR station. As it stands, regional Amtrak trains stop there, but the Acela only stops at Newark (city). And I don't think you can book a United ticket with an Amtrak segment from DC. I would strongly consider booking a UA ticket from Union Station to EWR to a long-haul destination if the first leg were Acela.