Current:Home > Contact-usUnited Airlines passengers affected by flight havoc to receive travel vouchers-LoTradeCoin
United Airlines passengers affected by flight havoc to receive travel vouchers
View Date:2024-12-23 22:26:50
United Airlines has distributed 30,000 miles to travelers whose flights were canceled or delayed due to bad weather and air traffic gridlock last week.
Customers who experienced overnight delays or never reached their destinations between June 24 and June 30 received the vouchers, a United representative told CBS MoneyWatch. The 30,000 miles are redeemable for a ticket between more than 8,000 cities in the continental U.S., according to the airline.
The travel hold-ups occurred during what United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby called one of the "most operationally challenging weeks of [his] career."
"Airlines can plan for things like hurricanes, sub-zero temperatures and snowstorms, but United has never seen an extended limited operating environment like the one we saw this past week at Newark," Kirby told employees in a July 1 email.
CEO takes off on private jet
Kirby has faced backlash for chartering a flight on his private jet last week, flying from Teterboro Airport in New Jersey to Denver, Colorado, during the travel disruptions. He later apologized for the move.
"Taking a private jet was the wrong decision because it was insensitive to our customers who were waiting to get home," Kirby said last weekend in a statement.
More than 40,000 flights arrived behind schedule between June 24 and June 30, and nearly 8,000 were canceled, according to data from flight tracker FlightAware. On Friday alone, roughly 8% of United flights were canceled and 45% were delayed, making it one of the hardest hit U.S.-based airlines.
Cancellations and delays continue to roil travelers' plans during the Fourth of July weekend, which was on track to be one of the busiest Independence Day weekends for travel in U.S. history, AAA forecasted. As of Monday morning, there were 182 flight cancellations reported in the past 24 hours at Newark Liberty International Airport, one of United Airlines' northeast travel hubs, data from FlightAware shows.
Meteorologists predict rainy weather and thunderstorms will continue to move through the New York metro area on Monday and Tuesday, which could impact more flights. However, the travel disruptions are also the result of aircraft backups at Newark airport, which reduced the number of departing aircrafts at Newark by 60%-75% for an average of 6 to 8 hours each day, Kirby said in his email.
"Severely limited" capacity
"Airlines, including United, simply aren't designed to have their largest hub have its capacity severely limited for four straight days and still operate successfully," Kirby said.
Staffing shortages at the Federal Aviation Agency, which performs air traffic control duties in the U.S., have aggravated travel disruptions, Kirby said last week.
Due to that combination of issues, United's leaders are planning to modify schedules at Newark airport.
"We are going to have to further change/reduce our schedule to give ourselves even more spare gates and buffer — especially during thunderstorm season," Kirby said in his email to employees.
United has not provided additional details about those schedule changes as of publication time.
- In:
- Travel
- AAA
- United Airlines
veryGood! (1385)
Related
- Mike Tyson is expected to honor late daughter during Jake Paul fight. Here's how.
- 'The Marvels' release date, cast, trailer: What to know about new 'Captain Marvel' movie
- Drivers are more likely to hit deer this time of year: When, where it's most likely to happen
- New Barbie doll honors Wilma Mankiller, the first female Cherokee principal chief
- Utah AD Mark Harlan rips officials following loss to BYU, claims game was 'stolen from us'
- Mount St. Helens records more than 400 earthquakes since mid-July, but no signs of imminent eruption
- Nets to catch debris during rainstorms removed from California town devastated by mudslides
- Biden administration picks Maryland for new FBI headquarters, AP sources say
- Panel advises Illinois commemorate its role in helping slaves escape the South
- US launches airstrike on site in Syria in response to attacks by Iranian-backed militias
Ranking
- Lions find way to win, Bears in tough spot: Best (and worst) from NFL Week 10
- Air pollution in India's capital forces schools to close as an annual blanket of smog returns to choke Delhi
- ‘Greed and corruption': Federal jury convicts veteran DEA agents in bribery conspiracy
- Michigan RB Blake Corum: 'I don't have any businesses with Connor (Stalions)'
- Republican Rep. Juan Ciscomani wins reelection to Arizona US House seat
- Zac Efron, Octavia Spencer and More Stars React to SAG-AFTRA Strike Ending After 118 Days
- Poet Rupi Kaur declines invitation to White House Diwali celebration over U.S. response to Israel-Hamas war
- Green slime or not? New Yorkers confused over liquid oozing from sewers but it's just dye
Recommendation
-
3 Iraqis tortured at Abu Ghraib win $42M judgement against defense contractor
-
Joel Madden Shares Rare Insight Into Family Life With Queen Nicole Richie and Their 2 Kids
-
Lori Harvey, Damson Idris reportedly split: 'We part ways remaining friends'
-
Animal rescue agency asks public for leads on puppy left behind at Indianapolis International Airport
-
Wheel of Fortune Contestant Goes Viral Over His Hilariously Wrong Answer
-
Azerbaijan’s president addresses a military parade in Karabakh and says ‘we showed the whole world’
-
Effort to remove Michigan GOP chair builds momentum as infighting and debt plague party
-
Four takeaways from Disney's earnings call