United
Airlines has reportedly indefinitely postponed the launch of two highly
anticipated routes just weeks before their inaugural flights were due to take
off.
The first affected
route is the planned nonstop service from Newark Liberty International Airport
(EWR) to Faro International Airport (FAO) in Portugal's
renowned Algarve resort region, which was first seen in Cirium schedules was
confirmed later by a United spokesperson.
The Big Four
airline had planned to begin flying this 3,494-mile route, intending to offer service four times
weekly, on May 24
and continue throughout the peak summer travel season, but United has ultimately
ended up scrapping it just weeks before its scheduled commencement.
The
Points Guy (TPG) reports that the carrier centered a sizeable marketing
effort around the Algarve route when it was first announced back in October
2023, and called it uncharacteristic of United to cut an attention-getting new
route like this on short notice.
As it turns out, a
carrier spokesperson attributed the sudden cancellation to the ongoing Federal
Aviation Administration (FAA) audit that was initiated after several recent
safety incidents involving United aircraft occurred in quick succession.
The Algarve, Portugal (Photo via Hans Brunk)
The string of
mishaps—which included occasions where a jet engine caught fire, a plane
skidded off a runway and an aircraft lost a tire mid-takeoff—did not result in
any passenger injuries, but prompted a regulatory investigation just the same.
Amid the ongoing
inquiries, the airline is prevented from adding new outstations that haven’t
already been approved by the FAA, sources close to the situation said.
However, United
told TPG that, despite this setback, it remains hopeful of being able to launch
flight to Faro during the summer 2025 season, pending FAA approval. The flights
have not yet been incorporated into United’s schedule for next year, as the
timetables only extend 330 days into the future.
In addition to the
Algarve route, United has also postponed the launch of its planned route from
Tokyo, Japan
to Cebu, Philippines,
which was scheduled to start on July 31. Like Faro, Cebu was set to be a new
outstation for United and, due to the increased regulatory oversight, the
airline is prevented from adding it at this time.
Three North
American routes have also been affected by the increased scrutiny and
operational adjustments, with United cutting flights from Houston to Boise, Idaho
and Hartford, Connecticut; as well as from Washington
D.C. to Key West, Florida.
Travelers whose
plans have been impacted by these route cancellations will be offered different
flight options or ticket refunds, TPG reported.
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