United Airlines is praising a proposed FAA decision to keep strict capacity limits in place at Newark Liberty International Airport through October 2026, saying it will help preserve the airport’s newfound reliability. Even with a reduced flight schedule, it also locks in United’s dominance at EWR.
FAA Extends Newark Flight Limits Through October 2026, United Celebrates
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has tentatively extended its order capping Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) operations at 72 flights per hour through both the Winter 2025 and Summer 2026 seasons.
The move continues a policy introduced in late May that reduced operations from more than 80 flights per hour earlier this year to 68 per hour, later adjusted to 72 per hour. The change was designed to combat chronic congestion and improve on-time performance at one of the nation’s busiest airports.
United Airlines—Newark’s largest carrier by far—pushed for these limits, arguing they match the airport’s true capacity given both infrastructure constraints and current FAA staffing levels.
In a memo to employees reviewed by Live And Let’s Fly, United said:
“Our bookings out of EWR have returned to normal compared to a few months ago and we believe the capacity limits reflected in this extension are appropriate and consistent with the physical capacity of the airport and the current FAA staffing. Above all, the extension is good news for our customers — locally and all around the world — as well as for our nearly 15,000 EWR employees.”
The capacity limits lock in the status quo, cementing United dominance at Newark, but also represent a sizeable net reduction in flights. United’s market share in New York City, of which I count Newark, has shrunk because of the reduced operation, allowing Delta Air Lines to build its lead as the largest domestic operators in New York City.
Scott Kirby Praises Decision
United CEO Scott Kirby personally endorsed the extension, calling Newark operations “the best they’ve ever been” and noting that EWR is now “regularly the most on-time airport in the New York City area.”
“That’s a direct result of the actions taken by Secretary Duffy and the FAA to ensure that the schedules out of Newark match the actual capacity of the airport. I want to thank the Secretary and Administrator Bedford for their leadership in extending this order for another year. This is vital to ensure that Newark remains a safe and reliable crown jewel for millions of domestic and international travelers.”
While the capacity limits mean fewer available seats and potentially higher fares, United argues that the trade-off is worth it. Newark’s improved punctuality has already been noticeable to passengers, with fewer delays and cancellations compared to prior years, though summer storms and United’s weight and balance meltdown earlier this week proved that operations are still quite fragile.
CONCLUSION
The FAA’s extension of Newark’s slot caps represents a rare example of a government restriction being warmly welcomed by the largest airline at the airport. United says protecting operational reliability and customer trust, which is true, but it’s also about protecting itself from competition. Time will tell, but for passengers, the news may further burnish Newark’s newly found reputation as the New York City area’s most on-time airport…but with fewer flight options than available before.
All that sucking-up to Trump came to fruition for Mr Kirby.
I’m just not sure it is a victory. Sure, it keeps others out, but it also keeps United from growing and competing across the river against Delta (and AA).
Profit margins remain and can only increase. That’s all they care about at this point. And travel likely to decrease now with the economy going down the tank.
for the month of June (which included part of the closure of one of EWR’s runways), EWR’s on-time for domestic flights was 68.2% while LGA was at 80% and JFK was above that.
UA has controlled 65% plus of the flights at EWR for years and could have reduced schedules at any time and had no reasonable fear of share loss. United and United alone has been responsible for the poor on-time performance at EWR.
Let’s see what July on-time numbers show but I doubt if it will be that much better.
What is clear is that the capacity cuts have allowed DL to handedly become the largest airline from NYC – serving all 3 airports. UA carries more international passengers but DL carries 1/3 more domestic passengers; guess which part is more important for corporate travel?
and let’s not forget that Kirby is pushing the idea of a deal w/ B6 that will lead to a full takeover in order to get back into JFK. B6 is not dead and other airlines might come up w/ better proposals to acquire or merge with B6 than UA. UA is still the 2nd largest airline in NYC and the DOJ had a problem w/ B6 and AA which were the 3rd and 4th largest carriers in NYC (and combined are about the size of DL).
of course, Kirby is going to crow but there was no need for the government to have intervened in EWR capacity in the first place.
and the cost is leadership in the NYC market which UA may never recover.
oh, and EWR is under an FAA Ground Delay program at this hour. MIA is the only other large airport in that camp and that is due to thunderstorms down there.
Only a couple of controllers working the sector today.
July numbers will be brutal because of the thunderstorms in and around the Northeast. EWR was going through a GS or GDP pretty much everyday.
Also, don’t forget we have a different administration and they don’t care about lack of competition a potential US-B6 merger would have. Previous administration killed the AA-B6 partnership.
everyone loves to think that the administration has changed its stance toward airline antitrust issues but there isn’t a shred of evidence – but there are a whole lot of UA fans that hope they will get a shot at getting back into JFK via B6.
The reality is airline antitrust has been pretty consistent for years and there are pretty strong thresholds above which no mergers have been allowed to cross
even though UA has fallen to the 2nd largest airline in NYC an DL is now the largest by a pretty significant amount in total passengers and flights, UA is still the 2nd largest airline and B6 is #3 or 4 depending on the metric and month.
AA and B6 were #3 and 4 and they got shot down.
It is far from realistic to think that B6/UA will be approved.
and it is still possible that someone else could come along and make a better, and far less problematic proposal from an antitrust standpoint.
let’s see when average fares for NYC for the 2nd quarter come out but they are probably up for ALL carriers. and AA has gained more on a percentage basis; they have reactivated some of their unused slots.
and Kirby realized how badly he screwed up by criticizing the administration EVERY. SINGLE. NIGHT on national news so will say anything to try to offer penance.
Most people can see through it.
The DOT and FAA will do what needs to be done regardless of what Kirby says or thinks.
EWR was never capable of handling the traffic that UA and CO before have tried to push through it.
and UA and CO before have consistently maintained their 65% flight share so the notion that other carriers were stealing share is simply not borne out in reality.
another factoid is that DL boards over 170 passengers per international departure from JFK while UA boards just over 150. DL simply uses its slots more efficiently for international and still has a 60% more domestic flights than UA and almost twice as many as AA and 3X more than B6.
This whole thing almost reads like UA asked Duffy to do this so UA / Kirby could have the opportunity to praise Trump. But this does not change any of the facts on the ground – EWR is a highly problematic airport and can’t really handle more than they are doing right now anyway.
The fact that AA can’t capitalize on this open door really says something.
Just shows what a failure transferring EWR sector to PHL has been. It’s been so bad that they’re doing an audit on the move. FAA management told UA that the move would improve efficiency and promised them a higher arrival rate. Opposite has occurred, but Kirby is happy because it cements their market share and they can charge passengers up the ass.
Also, UA has historically wanted EWR to be more limited off since it’s one of their more profitable hubs. I remember them being upset the shots were lifted about 10 years ago. Increased competition, but they had to write-off the slots’ value.
I’ll also add that I see EWR going back to being slot-controlled. Staffing situation won’t improve.
Slot-controlled Newark airport means a return of status quote. UAL may simply expand Washington Dulles domestic flight bank from 4 to 5 to carry connecting traffic once through EWR.