JetBlue Airways plans to cut New York flights amid FAA shortage

JetBlue Airways anticipates cutting scores of weekly flights in the New York City area due to a shortage of air traffic controllers, which is likely to have a financial impact on the airline this spring and summer, according to CEO Robin Hayes in an interview with Trade Algo on Wednesday.

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The Federal Aviation Administration presented a new proposal last week to help prevent a repeat of the flight disruptions that occurred in 2022. The plan calls for cutting flying requirements for airlines' takeoff and landing rights by up to 10% in order to reduce congestion in the New York City region and Washington, D.C. The FAA claims a lack of staff. The exclusions apply from May 15 through September 15.

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"We do not wish to cancel flights. Before a meeting at the Economic Club of New York," Hayes told Trade Algo, "I'm sure no airline wants to cancel flights. But if we don't eliminate them, the system won't function this summer."

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As travel demand returns following a lull from the pandemic lull, airlines have faced the difficult task of ramping up their capacity as a result of employee shortages and possible schedule cuts in the region.

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During the peak parts of 2022, there was an increase in flight cancellations and delays, which resulted in airlines slashing flight schedules in order to create more slack in the system. There can be reliability issues if you fly too much and things go wrong when you are traveling.

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The latest measure has been particularly impactful for JetBlue, which is based in Queens, New York, which takes off, lands and transits New York airspace on the vast majority of its flights.

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"We have a dedicated team, we have already trained pilots, we are paying for pilots, we have bought airplanes, we are paying for gates and slots," Hayes said. "As a result, JetBlue and our customers are going to have to endure a very significant financial impact as a result of this.”

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At the airports serving New York City, Washington Reagan National Airport, and the three major airports serving New Jersey, Delta Air Lines has requested the FAA to return at least 10% of its time slots in those airports and at the airports where it operates for the period. There was also a request made by United Airlines in the same way.

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There is a deadline of April 30 for carriers to request the waiver.

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"There has been a problem regarding air traffic controller staffing for years now," according to Hayes. As of yet, the airline hasn’t applied for slot or operating time waivers, but Hayes said the carrier plans to do so in the near future, and will notify its customers as soon as possible about the decision.

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On Wednesday, the FAA had a meeting with airlines executives in order to discuss measures aimed at easing congestion in the New York region. Having discussed a busy airspace in Florida last year, the company agreed to boost staffing to cope with a surge in traffic there as a result of a similar discussion.