Just under two hours before United Airlines Flight 110 was set to depart for London from Newark, manager Nikki Brooks received an alert indicating a potential issue.
A delivery team bringing blankets and pillows for the overnight transatlantic flight reported damage to a rear aircraft door around 4 p.m. on Thursday. A photo revealed what appeared to be a scratch requiring maintenance inspection. In response, Brooks, overseeing operations at United’s Station Operations Center at Newark Liberty International Airport, made the decision to delay the departure.
Situated on the fifth floor with a clear view of Terminal C and the runways, Brooks and her team handle hundreds of operational decisions daily, ranging from mechanical and medical issues to gate assignments — all aimed at maintaining smooth airline operations and minimizing delays.
When their work goes smoothly, passengers remain unaware of the complexities behind managing more than 600 daily United flights out of Newark, one of the airline’s key hubs. However, recent circumstances have made timely departures increasingly difficult.
Newark has faced a convergence of challenges including air traffic control technology failures, staffing shortages, and runway construction projects, generating a sense of crisis among travelers. These disruptions led federal authorities to accelerate essential improvements and impose flight restrictions through much of the year.
On this busy Thursday, marking the start of the Memorial Day travel rush and the unofficial kickoff to the summer season nationwide, Brooks and her colleagues were managing an intense wave of departures.
The airport’s performance is closely linked to United’s operations, as the airline controls the majority of flights at Newark. Approximately nine percent of all seats United fills on its aircraft originate or conclude at this hub.
After peaking in early May with over 12 percent of flights canceled due to air traffic control disruptions, the situation has seen marked improvement. Recent data shows that from Sunday through Thursday, only 10 United flights, less than one percent of the schedule, were canceled at Newark.
Ensuring minimal delays and cancellations demands vigilance and composure from operations managers like Brooks.
Following the decision to delay the London flight, she directed gate agents to begin boarding regardless. This calculated risk assumed the scratch was superficial and the issue could be resolved swiftly — which it was.
The flight departed shortly after 6 p.m., experiencing a delay of less than 45 minutes. Brooks then shifted her focus to overseeing departures from the other dozen gates under her supervision during her 10-hour shift.
“The work never stops,” she reflected. “Every day brings new challenges.”
Despite being projected as the busiest travel day of the holiday weekend, weather and operational constraints dampened activity at Newark. Persistent rain, ongoing runway construction since mid-April, and high winds forced the closure of two runways.
With aircraft restricted to a single runway, taxi times lengthened significantly, causing delays for dozens of flights.
Inside the operations center, employees continuously monitored weather conditions, radar, airport video feeds, and flight data across multiple screens. They maintained constant communication with ground staff, pilots, United’s central operations in Chicago, and each other via phone and online chat.
Some staff assisted pilots and mechanics with troubleshooting by referencing flight deck schematics or maintenance manuals. Others managed gate assignments, carefully considering the impact on connecting flights and passengers when reallocating gates. Additional team members oversaw multiple gates simultaneously, addressing issues as they emerged.
By day’s end, United canceled only two of nearly 300 scheduled departures at Newark, reflecting the team’s effective management despite challenging conditions.
New York City represents one of the largest travel markets globally, with United and Delta as its leading carriers. Last year, each airline served approximately 35 million passengers in the region, according to data from the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which manages Newark and the other major airports.
Newark is a vital hub for profitable international routes. Nearly 18 percent of international travelers to and from New York flew with United last year — more than any other airline — and one in four of United’s international flights departs from Newark.
However, many travelers began avoiding Newark following a technology outage in late April that triggered widespread operational issues.
During the incident, air traffic controllers and pilots lost communication for approximately 30 seconds, a brief but traumatic event that led some controllers to take extended leave. Subsequent weeks of technology failures and staffing shortages resulted in about 9 percent of Newark flights being canceled.
Passenger numbers at Newark slightly declined in early May compared to the previous year, while the other New York area airports experienced modest increases, according to Transportation Security Administration figures.
United’s CEO recently acknowledged the airline would face financial consequences but emphasized that safety and customer experience remain the top priorities.
“Financial considerations aren’t even on our priority list,” he stated. “Our focus is on safety and serving our customers.”
To reduce disruptions, United voluntarily cut approximately 35 daily round-trip flights in May. The Federal Aviation Administration has imposed hourly limits on flights at Newark, which could reduce peak-hour schedules by up to 20 percent during the summer. United supports these restrictions, valuing operational reliability over volume.
The reopening of the closed runway on June 15 is expected to alleviate pressure on an already stressed system, according to Jon Gooda, United’s vice president for Newark operations, who oversees nearly 14,000 employees.
While some construction will continue, primarily on weekends, reopening the runway should ease the burden on air traffic controllers, who have been severely understaffed, with just three controllers currently handling responsibilities normally assigned to 14. It is also expected to reduce taxi times and help decrease delays for flights in both directions.
Whiteboards in Gooda’s office and the daily briefing room track the countdown to the runway’s return, which stood at 24 days as of Thursday.
“A significant portion of our daily schedule depends on getting that morning departure out on time,” Gooda said from his office overlooking Terminal C’s lobby, which United exclusively operates. “If we achieve that, it positively impacts the entire day.”
Despite meticulous planning, some disruptions are unavoidable, underscoring the vital role of United’s operations center.
On Thursday, Flight 1556 to San Juan had to return to the gate after a passenger experienced a panic attack and needed to disembark.
For Kim Ventura, a Newark center manager with nearly 30 years of experience, such incidents are routine. The operations center was busy but controlled, with staff communicating by phone and collaborating closely. One colleague’s departure prompted Ventura and another manager to absorb additional responsibilities seamlessly.
Once the San Juan flight was ready to depart again, it had lost its place in the takeoff queue. Ventura contacted a colleague in another operations center, who coordinated with the FAA to prioritize the flight, minimizing further delay.
“The priority is always the customer,” Ventura said. “Making sure they’re properly cared for is our focus.”
0 Comments
No comments yet. Be the first to comment!