United Airlines is suspending nearly all its scheduled flights to New York area airports, including its main hub Newark.
As the number of flyers continues to plummet due to a tri-state travel advisory, United is slashing nearly 90% of flights to and from New York LaGuardia and Newark Liberty International.
At Newark, United is reducing its 139 daily flights to just 15.
These will serve just nine destinations instead of 62.
At LaGuardia United will operate just two flights a day.
The downsizing will ‘require a substantially fewer number of employees to show up for work every day in those locations,’ said United COO Greg Hart, although they will continue to be paid.
According to president Scott Kirby, United is burning through about $100 million a day.
The airline has been taking a more cautious approach of late, with less confidence in a quick recovery.
"While we all think that the coronavirus will be behind us and recovery is going to be somewhere on the horizon, we can’t be too aggressive about assuming it’s right around the corner," Kirby said in a virtual Q&A with employees last week.
Delta Air Lines said it is losing more than $60 million daily.
