United Airlines threatens to ditch New York JFK flights
United Airlines is threatening to pull services at New York’s JFK airport unless it gets a federal green light for more landing slots.
“If we are not able to get additional allocations for multiple seasons, we will need to suspend service at JFK, effective at the end of October,” according to an internal email sent to employees, Reuters reported.
United has been pushing the Federal Aviation Administration to grant more slots ‘so that we can grow to be more competitive.’
Unless it gets more slots it cannot compete due to rivals’ more favorable flight times and larger schedules.
Competitors include JetBlue Airways and American Airlines.
United currently operates two daily flights to Los Angeles and two to San Francisco from JFK.
The airline’s main hub is at nearby Newark.
United returned to JFK last year after pulling out in 2015.
At the time the airline leased 24 landing slots at JFK to Delta as United shifted most flights to Newark.
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