We have all seen those movies and documentaries about scary plane crashes that happened years ago and are usually blamed on the lack of technological advancements from back then.
Whether for business or pleasure, these incidents have yet to stop people from boarding planes and selling out tickets, or companies from increasing prices, turning this industry into a lucrative empire that generates billions of dollars yearly.
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However, it has recently seemed like planes are crashing more regularly than ever, and these events may have finally scared people enough to make some only fly when necessary, reduce their flight bookings, or cancel trips altogether.
This sort of 21st-century nationwide Red Scare has begun affecting even the top airline giants, causing them to experience sales declines.Â
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Newark Liberty International Airport experiences tumultuous outages and United Airlines suffersÂ
Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) in New Jersey began experiencing technical problems with its air traffic control systems in late April. These problems have resulted in troublesome outages affecting radars and communications, leading to mass flight delays and cancellations.
United Airlines (UAL)  is one of the biggest operators and has a significant presence in Newark. Hence, the airline has been highly affected by the outages, which have caused sales and bookings to decline massively.Â
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Additionally, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced last month that it would temporarily cut flights by 25% due to outages, staffing shortages, and runway construction because it could not keep up with operations.
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To continue operations, United Airlines and JetBlue entered a partnership last month that will allow loyalty program members from both airlines to earn and use miles and obtain benefits. Customers can also book across both airlines, providing them with more options.Â
As part of the deal, JetBlue (JBLU)  will give United Airlines slots for up to seven daily round-trip flights at John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) in New York beginning in 2027, marking United Airlines’ return to JFK for the first time since 2022. In exchange, JetBlue will obtain eight flight timings at EWR.
However, there’s a positive side to all this chaos.Â
United Airlines CEO urges people to book flights now
United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby is urging people flying out of Newark Liberty International Airport to book their flights for the summer now because the airline has slashed prices like never before.Â
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“We lost a lot of bookings, so there’s a lot more seats available. It’s going to be the cheapest it’s probably ever going to be in history,” said Kirby in an interview with The Wall Street Journal.
The combination of outages and air flight controllers speaking out about safety risks was a major contributor to the decline in United’s bookings, ultimately leading to price reductions.
“I don’t really like that, but you ought to book,” said Kirby. “This is short-term painful for us at Newark, but it’s long-term better.”
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