United Airlines Gives Customers Relief at Struggling Newark Airport
United Airlines is on clean-up duty.
Newark Liberty International Airport has long been the butt of jokes from disgruntled travelers. But recent issues at the airport, including radio and radar malfunctions and massive FAA staff walkouts, have industry officials warning travelers to avoid EWR at all costs—and United Airlines in particular, which accounts for approximately 75 percent of Newark’s daily air traffic. Now, United is doing its best to regain the trust of its customers.
Related: United Airlines Makes Big Changes for Major Airport: ‘No Other Choice’
As the New York Post reports, United Airlines is offering to waive a host of fees that travelers may have faced due to an onslaught of flight delays and cancellations. The airline posted a “Newark Flexibility” alert on its official Travel Alerts page. For passengers who purchased a flight to, from, or connecting through Newark Airport on or before Sunday, May 4—with a travel date between Tuesday, May 6 and Saturday, May 17—the airline is offering to waive any change fees or fare differences if you reschedule your trip. There are, of course, some catches.
According to the alert: “[Y]our new flight must be a United flight departing between 2 days prior and 2 days after your original travel date. Tickets must be in the same cabin and between the same cities as originally booked or one of the following: New York, NY, US (LGA) and Philadelphia, PA, US (PHL).”
According to the Post, on Thursday, May 1 alone, more than 500 flights to and from Newark were delayed, while another 200-plus were canceled entirely.
While the waived fees seem appropriate, they don’t guarantee that the utter chaos the airport is currently experiencing won’t interrupt your rescheduled plans. That the flight alert is good through May 17 seems to indicate that the airline is planning other ways to stem the problems they’re facing in Newark. That the airline recently canceled 35 of its regularly daily scheduled flights, however, doesn’t bode for just how convenient whatever additional steps they take may be.