Spirit Notches Win In Fight For Slots At Newark Airport: Report

NEWARK, NJ — A recent decision from a federal appeals court may free up more slots at Newark Liberty International Airport for Spirit Airlines, a report says.

On Friday, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. circuit ruled on a case between Spirit Airlines, the U.S. Department of Transportation and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

According to the judges, the FAA acted improperly when it chose not to reallocate leftover slots from Southwest Airlines’ departure from Newark Airport in 2019.

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

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.

The court ruling could free up more spaces for other airlines, including Spirit. The FAA won’t necessarily have to reinstate the Southwest slots at Newark Airport, but no matter how the situation resolves, “Spirit or other airlines are likely to benefit significantly while United stands to lose,” Paxex.aero reported.

Read the full article here.

Southwest Airlines isn't the only company that recently decided to stop flying out of Newark Airport … albeit under different financial circumstances.

In March 2019, WOW Air passengers planning to fly out of Newark Airport got a nasty surprise when the bankrupt Icelandic company abruptly ceased operations, leaving them stranded in Essex County.

• See related article: Budget Airline Serving Newark Airport Folds, Passengers Stranded

It was the second time in a year that an international budget airline suddenly went belly-up at Newark Airport, leaving customers in the lurch.

Danish airline Primera Air suspended its service at Newark Airport in October 2018 after declaring bankruptcy.

• See related article: Budget Airline Goes Bankrupt, Cancels Newark Airport Flights

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