CEO Scott Kirby says leaving JFK was a mistake.
United Airlines is reportedly planning on returning to New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport, after CEO Scott Kirby described leaving the hub as a strategic mistake by the carrier.
United left JFK back in 2015 in favour of the airline’s hub at Newark. Since then, American and Delta have strengthened their operations at JFK along with their international partners.
Mr Kirby says many passengers instinctively book flights out of JFK instead of Newark, leading to United missing out on much needed business.
An additional reason United may be looking to move airports is that most Star Alliance airlines have a presence at JFK.
With no United Airlines flights at JFK, many Star Alliance passengers would be unable to be fed to a United domestic flight.
With slots becoming a little easier to secure due to the slump in travel demand, United could be making the move as early as the beginning of 2021.
The airline remains much smaller today than it was in 2019. In the month of October, United plans to fly only 40% of its flights compared to a year ago.
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