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United Cuts Planned Routes with FAA Review Looming

Joe Cortez April 09, 2024

United Airlines will hold off on launching two planned routes after several safety mishaps, as the Federal Aviation Administration performs a safety review.

Two routes United Airlines planned for a Summer 2024 launch will be pushed back after a string of safety issues affecting flights.

Bloomberg reports the new routes from Newark to Portugal and Tokyo to The Philippines will be delayed as the Federal Aviation Administration reviews the carrier’s performance record.

Faro and Cebu Put on Backburner Pending Review

In an email to the news outlet, United confirmed that two routes planned for launch would be pushed far into the future. A planned route between Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) and Faro International Airport (FAO) in Portugal will be delayed by at least a year. The carrier planned for the first flight to take place on May 24, 2024, but it will now happen in the summer of 2025.

A fifth freedom route will also be delayed until later this year. A planned flight between Tokyo and Cebu, Philippines will be pushed back nearly three months, now launching on October 27, 2024, instead of the planned July 31. The airline says passengers who are affected can either be rebooked on a partner for no additional fee or request a refund.

The delays are one of several for United, as the FAA is performing a review of United’s recent safety issues involving Boeing aircraft. Quartz reports in one month alone, the carrier experienced:

A flight landing at Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD) landing with a “gear issue”
A flight from Houston George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) returned to the airport with an “engine issue”
A landing gear tire fell off a United flight leaving San Francisco International Airport (SFO)
A flight from San Francisco to Tokyo diverted to Los Angeles due to a “landing gear issue”
A flight from Memphis to Houston unexpectedly left the runway after landing

The FAA’s review could curtail new route launches for the Chicago-based airline, or even prevent the carrier from flying customers on new aircraft until a post-delivery inspection is completed. United is also completing a review.

The situation marks the second major cancellation for the airline this year. United also pushed back their planned investor day until later in the year amid the issues experienced on flights.

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