Severe weather, FAA shortfalls kick off rocky start

Flight disruptions escalated Tuesday as severe storms and staffing issues got off to a rocky start to the summer.

Nearly 3,000 US flights were delayed through midday Tuesday and 1,100 more canceled as thunderstorms continued, derailing thousands of flights over the weekend. That’s in addition to more than 8,800 delays in the US and 2,246 cancellations on Monday.

The disruptions come ahead of the busy Fourth of July travel period, when millions are expected to travel. The Transportation Security Administration said it could screen more travelers than in 2019, before the pandemic, increasing competition for reserve seats.

The Biden administration pressured airlines to improve their operations after widespread flight disruptions last spring and summer prompted airlines to scale back their overambitious schedules. But the industry struggled to recover last weekend from a series of thunderstorms that didn’t stop for days.

Thunderstorms are tricky for airlines because they can form with less warning than other major weather obstructions like winter storms or tornadoes. Incremental delays may force crews to reach federally mandated workday limits and increase disruptions.

Some airline executives also blamed some of the disruptions on a shortage of air traffic controllers.

United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby told staff Monday that “the FAA has frankly failed us this weekend.” During Saturday’s storms, he said, the FAA cut arrival rates by 40% and departures by 75% at Newark Liberty International Airport, one of the company’s largest hubs.

“This has resulted in significant delays, cancellations, and diversions, as well as crews and aircraft being out of position,” Kirby wrote in the staff memo, which was seen by CNBC. “And that put everyone behind the eight-ball when the weather really hit on Sunday and was exacerbated by a shortage of FAA staff on Sunday night.”

“We will always cooperate with anyone who seriously wants to join us to solve a problem,” an FAA spokesperson said in a statement.

Staffing challenges are not new. The Covid-19 pandemic has derailed the hiring and training of new air traffic controllers, and the agency is now trying to catch up.

The Office of the Inspector General of the Department of Transportation said in a a report In the past week, a shortage of personnel in air traffic control has put air traffic operations at risk. In March, the Federal Aviation Administration and some airlines agreed to reduce flights to help ease congestion at New York’s crowded airports due to staffing issues.

But the problems persist as airlines prepare crews and schedules for a busy summer season, fueled by continued travel demand.

The disturbances frustrated flight crews who were left awaiting reassignment.

The Flight Attendants Association-CWA, which represents flight attendants at United and others, said in a note to members Monday that crew scheduling times were longer than three hours.

“There is an absolute recognition by the leadership of the union and the flight management that something needs to be done in order to address these permanently adverse situations resulting from irregular operations,” the union said.

New York based JetBlue Airways It has also faced high levels of flight delays over the past few days and acknowledged it could improve its handling of disruptions in a note to crew members on Monday, which was reviewed by CNBC.

Don Oselman, JetBlue’s vice president of in-flight experience, said the airline could have updated crew reporting times more efficiently so employees aren’t waiting for flights and reduced wait times for hotel assignments.

“Peak summer is officially underway, extreme weather events, ATC staffing restrictions, and resulting delays will put all airlines to the test,” he said in his note. “This weekend’s (irregular operation) will not be the last, but the combination of events has put an acute strain on the operation and made it more difficult than most.”