Jon Gooda, the vice president at United Airlines who serves as the head of airport operations at Newark Liberty International Airport, is confident the airline will be fast and efficient during the peak summer travel season for one key reason: It already is.
Gooda said United had its best on-time performance for Memorial Day Weekend since the airline began tracking its efforts in 2011, or a year after it merged with Continental Airlines.
For the period of Thursday-Tuesday, Gooda said United had a completion rate of 99.6% (so, virtually no cancellations) and its on-time performance was better than every other United hub as well as (this is comparing EWR’s on-time performance with LGA’s—not just United-specific) United service at La Guardia Airport in New York City.
“The operation went great,” he said. “We got our customers moving. They left on time. And they got where they were going on time.”
Would United support A.C. airport expansion?
Jon Gooda, a vice president at United Airlines who oversees the airline’s operations at Newark Liberty International Airport, details whether an expansion of Atlantic City International Airport would be beneficial. Click here for the story.
Gooda, in an exclusive interview with BINJE, said getting the airport in balance — an effort created by United’s willingness to cut flights, followed by the FAA cutting even more — was the difference.
“Almost immediately after we took the step to reduce flights — a step we took voluntarily, followed by the actions of the FAA, which impacted all airlines that fly here — the situation stabilized dramatically here,” he said.
“What that tells me is, matching what the airport can handle with the volume we’re putting through here has led to an operation that’s running really well.”
Don’t be confused. Gooda readily admits the operation was not running well during a meltdown stage that began in late April — one that led to an unprecedented number of cancellations and daily delays that routinely reached 3-4 hours.
Scheduled work on a runway, combined with air traffic control staffing and technical issues, made the airport’s struggles a national story.
When Newark will be able to return to its pre-meltdown efficiency and capacity isn’t clear.
Gooda said the shift to move air traffic control duties to Philadelphia — a correct and courageous move, he said — as well as initiatives to recruit more air traffic controllers will help. But not immediately.
“Training takes time,” he said. “We all want them to be fully certified and come in right away, but this is the most complex airspace in the world.”
Gooda said he’s heard all training classes are full, but the process itself can take two years.
And, while the airport announced last week that it has completed its work on the runway early, Gooda said its impact will be limited for two more weeks, as the runway capacity already is set through June 15, the work’s expected completion date.
Gooda said travelers may notice a bigger impact starting June 16, when the airport will increase its capacity to 68 flights per hour (34 inbound; 34 outbound). It’s an improvement, but still short of the 77 flights per hour Newark had last summer.
“Would we like to see capacity increase over time? Absolutely — and I think it will,” he said. “Improvements in infrastructure and staffing will help, but, for now, matching what the airport can handle with the volume we’re putting through here has led to an operation that’s running really well again.”
Gooda said the airline’s commitment to international travel has not — and will not — change.
No international routes were cut back, he said. United has seven daily flights to Heathrow Airport in London, a critical market, Gooda said. And it is in the process of rolling out new international locations.
United started making flights to Faro, Portugal; Palermo, Italy; and Bilbao, Spain, in May. On June 7, it will add Madeira Island, Portugal. And on June 14, it will begin trips to Nuuk, Greenland.
United’s Spanish-language app proving to be big hit
The introduction of a Spanish-language version of United Airlines’ award-winning app has proved to be a hit with customers and the carrier. See the story here.
Gooda said these new routes — which are offered as trial runs but could become permanent destinations from Newark — are key to the airline increasing its ability to serve international business and leisure travelers. The same is true for United’s Polaris Lounge, which is in the middle of an expansion that is scheduled to be completed later in June.
This desire to meet customers’ wants and needs also can be seen in its recent partnership agreement with JetBlue (which will open up more destinations for MileagePlus use in the U.S., notably in Florida) and in the launch last fall of an all-Spanish language app.
“We want to be able to serve all customers in the best way we can,” he said.
Gooda said that’s what made the recent meltdown so difficult.
“Of course, that was tough on our customers, but it also was tough on our employees because they’re a very proud bunch,” he said.
Gooda said the meltdown came directly after a solid start.
“In the first three months of this year, we were, hands down, operating better than the other two airports in New York,” he said. “When that happens, you feel really good.
“Our team is prideful of the work that they’re doing here. So, it was tough there for a couple of weeks, and everybody else saw that. Now that balance is being reached, I think we’re in a much better place.”
The airport’s troubles may eventually benefit local flyers.
Last week, during an event by the Wall Street Journal, United CEO Scott Kirby said the airline lost passengers at Newark and is eager to get them back — and will do so at reduced pricing.
Kirby said prices out of Newark probably will be the cheapest they’ve ever been.
Gooda said the airline is ready.
“It’s absolutely safe to fly through Newark, but, more than that, it’s also incredibly reliable — we proved that during Memorial Day weekend,” he said. “We are fully staffed up for our summer, so customers can trust us for their summer holiday travel plans.”
