Budget Airline Will Get Space At Newark Airport, Feds Announce

NEWARK, NJ — In a move that officials say will give travelers at Newark Liberty International Airport more choices and lower prices, federal authorities are awarding more than a dozen slots at the busy airport to a budget airline.

On Thursday, the U.S. Department of Transportation announced it will give rights for several afternoon and evening flights in Newark to a low-cost carrier. The takeoff and landing rights were previously used by Southwest Airlines, which pulled out of the airport in 2019, NBC New York reported.

• See related article: Southwest Ending Flights From Newark, Will Stay At LaGuardia

The administration did not identify the company it plans to award the 16 slots to, Reuters reported.

The Federal Aviation Administration estimated that awarding the 16 slots will increase delays at the airport by 5.9 percent, or by an average of 1.2 minutes per operation throughout the day, Reuters reported.

But according to some officials, it’s worth the tradeoff.

“Opening up more slots at Newark to lower-cost carriers will provide air travelers with more choices and lower prices,” Deputy Transportation Secretary Polly Trottenberg said.

United Airlines, which controls the majority of the slots at the airport, was required to give 36 slots to a competitor when it merged with Continental Airlines. Those were picked up by Southwest, which operated in Newark for nearly a decade before leaving, Paxex.aero reported.

• See related article: Spirit Notches Win In Fight For Slots At Newark Airport
• See related article: $11 Fries At Newark Airport Are 'Price Gouging,' Congressman Says
• See related article: Are Self-Boarding 'E-Gates' The Future Of Newark Airport?

Acting Assistant Attorney General Richard Powers of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division issued the following statement about the Department of Transportation’s notice of proposed reassignment of schedules at Newark Airport:

“The Department of Justice applauds the Department of Transportation’s efforts to preserve competition from low-cost airlines at Newark airport. Competition in the airline industry – and at Newark airport in particular – is in critically short supply. Low-cost carriers play an important role in keeping the airline industry competitive and the immense power of the major airlines in check. We look forward to working with the Department of Transportation to address similar concerns at capacity-constrained airports, and to bring consumers more choices and lower prices.”

Send local news tips and correction requests to eric.kiefer@patch.com

Sign up for Patch email newsletters. Learn more about posting announcements or events to your local Patch site. Don’t forget to visit the Patch Newark Facebook page.