By Robert Barba and Alison Sider

United Airlines Chief Executive Scott Kirby told customers in an email Monday that it is "absolutely safe" to fly in and out of Newark Liberty International Airport following two weeks of technology and air-traffic control staffing issues that have plagued the New Jersey transit hub.

The Federal Aviation Administration is working to address the issues, but Kirby said in the email there are procedures in place to make sure flying is safe in the meantime.

"The truth is that all the flights in and out of EWR are absolutely safe, " Kirby said in the email, referring to Newark by its airport code EWR. "When there are FAA issues, such as technology outages or staffing shortages, the FAA requires all airlines to fly fewer aircraft to maintain the highest levels of safety."

The email was sent to customers with upcoming travel at Newark as well as customers based in New York and New Jersey. It included a link to a video where Capt. Miles Morgan, who oversees United's flight training center, discusses some of the safety measures.

United, by far the largest airline at Newark, previously said it would cut 35 daily round-trip flights at the airport.

The FAA has proposed limiting flight operations there to help cut down on disruptions caused by runway construction and a shortage of controllers. It is set to meet with airlines to discuss the move this week.

"The goal is to have a manageable number of flights land at Newark," Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said Monday.

The FAA last year shifted oversight of Newark's airspace to a facility in Philadelphia. But technology issues have cropped up involving the connection from Philadelphia to New York, where the system for processing radar data is located. Some controllers sought trauma-related leave after a recent outage, exacerbating a staffing shortfall.

Duffy said that a software patch put in place Friday had been successful, ensuring that a backup system functioned when the primary communication line went down again Sunday morning. During previous outages, he said a backup system was overloaded and didn't work.

"Our patch, our fix worked," he said at a news conference. "We still had our scopes and our telecom functioning."

Acting FAA Administrator Chris Rocheleau said Monday the FAA is assembling an emergency task force of experts from the FAA and its technology vendors to expedite more permanent fixes.

"I can tell you uncategorically that the travel into Newark today is safe," he said.

Write to Robert Barba at robert.barba@wsj.com and Alison Sider at alison.sider@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

May 12, 2025 20:27 ET (00:27 GMT)

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