‘The FAA failed us’: United CEO blasts FAA for massive flight delays and cancellations

The massive amounts of canceled flights heading into the holiday weekend have caused a riff between the flight industry and the FAA.

United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby is blaming the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for dropping the ball this week by canceling flights due to severe weather. Over 150,000 United customers were affected due to the cancellation and delays of flights. The FAA oversees air traffic in the U.S., giving it leverage over flight schedules.

In a memo shared by Travel + Leisure, Kirby was clear about his frustration, stating, “The FAA frankly failed us this weekend.” He went on to blame the agency’s shortcomings on their “staffing issues and their ability to manage traffic.”

Tracking site FlightAware reported that 1,700 flights were affected this week due to weather conditions. This includes 293 flights canceled by United at Newark and the delay of 251 on Monday alone. On Tuesday, United canceled 500 flights and delayed 1,000 others.

“The FAA reduced the arrival rates by 40% and the departure rates by 75%,” Kirby’s fiery memo continued. “That is almost certainly a reflection of understaffing/lower experience at the FAA. It led to massive delays, cancellations, diversions, as well as crews and aircraft out of position.”

“That put everyone behind the eight ball when weather actually did hit on Sunday and was further compounded by FAA staffing shortages Sunday evening,” he continued.

Kirby has continuously been vocal about the disconnect between the FAA and Air Traffic Control, and the airline industry. In a recent CNBC interview, he said, “the biggest issue with us is Air Traffic Control. Every day, we wake up with Air Traffic Control delays.”

Although he has expressed exasperation with the groups, Kirby acknowledged that he would continue to work with the agency, as well as the Department of Transportation, to prevent similar situations.

“It’s not the fault of the current FAA leadership that they are in this seriously understaffed position — it’s been building up for a long time before they were in charge,” Kirby wrote. “But, it is incumbent on them now to lead and take action to minimize the impact.”

Martie Bowser is a journalist and public relations professional in Charlotte, NC. She enjoys amplifying the voices of POC and women that fill a void within their community. Her favorite things to cover include “person of interest” pieces, small business highlights, pop culture commentary, entertainment features, and everything about Beyoncé. Her bylines can be found in Blavity, Black Excellence, Signature Bride, Black Wall Street Times, and HipHop Weekly. Martie can be reached via email at martiebowser@detourxp.com.