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close video Former United Airlines CEO Oscar Munoz rips US’ air traffic control systems as ‘most outdated’

Former United Airlines CEO Oscar Munoz discusses a government report blaming airlines for cancellations, retention in employees, and his new book, “Turnaround Time.”

More than 1,500 flight cancelations and delays were already reported early Wednesday morning. 

Tracker FlightAware showed 1,153 total cancelations, including 672 within, into or out of the U.S. There were 913 delays.

United Airlines was hit the hardest, with 315 cancelations and 100 delays shown. 

JetBlue Airways came in second, with less than a third of those cancelations, shown at 84. However, it had 231 delays shortly before 8 a.m. ET.

UNITED CEO SCOTT KIRBY SLAMS FAA FOR FLIGHT CANCELLATIONS, DELAYS

Planes are seen on the tarmac as people wait for their flight reschedule inside of the Newark International Airport on June 27, 2023, in Newark, New Jersey. (Kena Betancur/Getty Images / Getty Images)

United Airlines told Fox Business Digital in an email on Wednesday morning that delays and cancelations are a result of the severe weather in the Northeast.

"Several consecutive days of severe weather and lingering thunderstorms in the Northeast, combined with FAA staffing constraints over the weekend, have resulted in a tough operating environment, especially for our customers flying in and out of the New York area," a spokesperson said. 

United Airlines airplanes sit parked at a gate at Terminal C at Newark Liberty Airport as the sun sets on Feb. 3, 2023, in Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Gary Hershorn/Getty Images / Getty Images)

"We know our customers are eager to get to their destinations and our airport and call center teams are working overtime to assist them. As we focus on helping our customers whose travel has been disrupted over the last few days, we’re also planning ahead to be ready for the upcoming holiday weekend," the airline added.

JetBlue Airways did not immediately respond to Fox Business Digital's request for comment.

This comes following a day of hundreds of flight disruptions across the New York City area as storms swept through the region. 

People rest waiting for their flight reschedule inside of the Newark International Airport on June 27, 2023, in Newark, New Jersey. (Kena Betancur/Getty Images / Getty Images)

An issue with technology at a major air traffic control facility worsened the situation. 

On Sunday evening, the Federal Aviation Administration briefly paused operations at Washington D.C.-area airports due to a problem with the communications system. However, departures resumed after repairs were completed. 

A monitor displays in the departures area of Terminal B at LaGuardia Airport displays flight statuses, Tuesday, June 27, 2023, in New York. Travelers waited out widespread delays at U.S. airports on Tuesday, an ominous sign heading into the long July (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer / AP Newsroom)

United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby said that the FAA had "frankly failed [them] this weekend" in a memo to staff, noting that Big Apple weather is "something that the FAA has historically been able to manage without a severe impact on our operation and customers."  

GET FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO BY CLICKING HERETicker Security Last Change Change % UAL UNITED AIRLINES HOLDINGS INC. 56.18 +0.15 +0.27%JBLU JETBLUE AIRWAYS CORP. 8.76 +0.71 +8.82%

He said the FAA had reduced arrival rates at Newark Liberty International Airport – one of United's hubs – by 40% and the departure rates by 75%.

"This is almost certainly a reflection of understaffing/lower experience at the FAA," Kirby wrote. "It led to massive delays, cancelations, diversions, as well as crews and aircraft out of position. And that put everyone behind the eight-ball when weather did hit on Sunday and was further compounded by FAA staffing shortages Sunday evening." 

Scott Kirby, chief executive officer of United Airlines Holdings Inc., during an interview in New York, on Monday, June 12, 2023. (Christopher Goodney/Bloomberg via Getty Images / Getty Images)

He highlighted that more than 150,000 United Airlines customers in the New York City area were impacted over the weekend "because of FAA staffing issues and their ability to manage traffic." 

People queue for their flight reschedule inside of the Newark International Airport on June 27, 2023, in Newark, New Jersey. (Kena Betancur/Getty Images / Getty Images)

However, Kirby explained that the staffing issue is "not [the] fault of the current FAA leadership," as this has been a problem that has "been building up for a long time." 

There were no East Coast staffing triggers Monday or Tuesday, according to the FAA. 

A United Airlines aircraft takes off in front of New York City’s skyline at Newark Liberty International Airport in Newark, New Jersey, on March 9, 2023. (Photo by ED JONES/AFP via Getty Images / Getty Images)

A spokesperson for the agency told Fox Business Digital on Tuesday that it will "always collaborate with anyone seriously willing to join us to solve a problem."

Kirby had told his employees that he plans to speak with FAA officials and the Department of Transportation to determine what actions can be taken to prevent such turmoil this summer.

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The National Weather Service says more showers and thunderstorms are projected in the Northeast through Friday.

Fox Business' Daniella Genovese and the Associated Press contributed to this report. 

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Science

NASA and ISRO Confirm Japan’s Moon Lander Resilience Crashed at Mare Frigoris

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NASA and ISRO Confirm Japan’s Moon Lander Resilience Crashed at Mare Frigoris

NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) and India’s Chandrayaan-2 orbiter have captured images of Japan’s Resilience lunar lander after it suffered a catastrophic crash on the Moon. Resilience, developed by private firm ispace, had been attempting to touch down in the Mare Frigoris region on June 5. The lander was carrying scientific experiments and a small European lunar rover, Tenacious, slated to deploy an art model on the surface. Contact was lost about 100 seconds before the planned touchdown, and the new images show debris scattered around the impact site. These images provide the first confirmation of Resilience’s fate.

Crash site images reveal debris field

According to the captured crash site image by NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter on June 11, 2025, there is a dark smudge of disturbed regolith where Resilience hit the surface. India’s Chandrayaan-2 orbiter captured follow-up images on June 16 showing the debris field in greater detail. Astronomy experts identified at least a dozen fragments of the lander and its small rover Tenacious in these photos.

One enthusiast catalogued at least 12 separate debris items, though their exact spread is unclear. A faint bright halo of ejected dust surrounds the smudge, consistent with a violent impact. These detailed views provide clues to investigators piecing together how Resilience broke apart on impact.

Laser rangefinder fault pinpointed as cause

Resilience’s onboard laser altimeter began lagging about 100 seconds before landing, causing the descent to proceed too fast. On June 24, ispace confirmed that this rangefinder malfunction during descent prevented the lander from decelerating to the planned touchdown speed. The hard impact “likely tore the spacecraft apart” and destroyed all scientific payloads.

Investigators are examining factors like lunar surface reflectivity or hardware degradation as possible triggers of the failure. Resilience was ispace’s second Hakuto-R moon lander; its predecessor (April 2023) likewise crash-landed. CEO Takeshi Hakamada said the company is working on fixes and “will not let this be a setback” as it pursues future lunar missions.

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Environment

Trump administration moves to count crypto as a federal mortgage asset

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Trump administration moves to count crypto as a federal mortgage asset

FHFA preps to consider cryptocurrencies as an asset for mortgages

In a landmark shift for the U.S. housing finance system, the Federal Housing Finance Agency has issued a directive ordering Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to formally consider cryptocurrency as an asset in single-family mortgage loan risk assessments.

The move, signed by FHFA Director William J. Pulte on Wednesday, signals a new era of crypto integration into traditional financial infrastructure — this time within the core of American home lending.

The order directs both housing finance giants to develop proposals that include digital assets — without requiring borrowers to liquidate them into U.S. dollars prior to a loan closing.

Pulte said in a post on X that the move aligns with President Donald Trump‘s vision “to make the United States the crypto capital of the world.”

Historically, cryptocurrency has been excluded from underwriting frameworks due to volatility, regulatory uncertainty, and the inability to easily verify reserves. This directive changes that.

Read more CNBC tech news

The decision comes at a time of increasing institutional embrace of crypto across banking, payments, and federal policy.

“Cryptocurrency is an emerging asset class that may offer an opportunity to build wealth outside of the stock and bond markets,” the order states, acknowledging crypto’s growing role in household financial portfolios.

The directive restricts consideration to digital assets that are stored on U.S.-regulated, centralized exchanges and can be clearly evidenced. It also requires Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to develop internal adjustments to account for crypto’s market volatility and ensure that any risk-weighted reserves comprised of crypto do not compromise underwriting standards.

Under the directive, both enterprises must submit their assessment proposals to the boards of directors for approval and then to the FHFA for final review.

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac were put under government control in September 2008 as entities that are known as government-sponsored enterprises, or GSEs.

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Environment

This new San Diego battery can power 200,000 homes during peak hours

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This new San Diego battery can power 200,000 homes during peak hours

Arevon Energy just brought a massive new battery storage project online in San Diego’s Barrio Logan neighborhood, and it’s built to keep the lights on when the grid gets stressed.

The new Peregrine Energy Storage Project clocks in at 200 megawatts (MW)/400 megawatt-hours (MWh), making it one of the biggest battery storage facilities in the San Diego region. That’s enough stored energy to power around 200,000 homes for two hours during peak demand.

Built for $300 million, Peregrine is the fifth utility-scale energy storage project Arevon has launched in California. It uses lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries, which are known for their safety and thermal stability. LFP batteries use iron, phosphate, and lithium to create a strong chemical bond that resists overheating, making them safer than other lithium-ion chemistries. They also have a longer lifespan and are less prone to degradation over time.

The facility created more than 90 construction jobs and is expected to generate over $28 million in property tax revenue over its lifetime.

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Energy storage projects like this are key to making California’s grid more stable and reliable. By soaking up clean energy when demand is low and discharging it when the grid is under strain, Peregrine helps reduce blackouts and avoid spikes in electricity prices.

“The successful completion of Peregrine Energy Storage is a result of the collaborative efforts of the project’s stakeholders and the local community who collectively support California’s renewable energy goals,” said Kevin Smith, CEO of Arevon.

Arevon already operates more than 3.2 gigawatts (GW) of renewable energy projects in California, with another 800 MW under construction. Nationwide, it owns and operates 4.7 GW of solar and storage projects across 17 states.

Read more: SpaceX alums just supercharged EV charging at Costco


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