American Airlines aircraft at the gate at LaGuardia Airport
American Airlines said on Monday that it will temporarily cut some of its flights originating in New York City from its summer schedule after the Federal Aviation Administration relaxed some minimum flight requirements in order to cut back on summer congestion.
The world’s largest carrier said it will reduce the frequency of flights between New York’s LaGuardia Airport and Dallas, Miami, Kansas City, and St. Louis, as well as the Newark Liberty International Airport-Chicago route.
Last month, the FAA agreed to honor requests by Delta Air Lines and United Airlines to temporarily return up to 10% of their respective slots and flight timings at the main three airports in the New York metropolitan area – LaGuardia, John F. Kennedy International, and Newark Liberty International – as well as at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport near the District of Columbia, as a result of the severe air-traffic controller shortages the agency is facing.
The FAA said it will give carriers “the ability to reduce operations during the peak summer travel period, which are likely to be exacerbated by the effects of Air Traffic Controller staffing shortfalls.” Normally, an airline can lose slots at congested airports if they do not use them at least 80% of the time.
Meanwhile, New York-based JetBlue Airways said it is reviewing possible cuts but made it clear it wasn’t happy about having to make them.
“It is disappointing to reduce flights for customers as they plan their summer holidays and as New York City works to rebound from the pandemic,” the carrier said in a statement.
(Photo: Accura Media Group)
All Rights Reserved Travel