United Airlines suggested Wednesday that an air traffic controller shortage is to blame for “significant delays” at its Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) hub, as people in the U.S. began

United Airlines said on Tuesday that an acute shortage of air traffic controllers was causing "significant disruption" for travelers at its busy Newark, New Jersey, hub outside of New York City.

The airline is citing delays at its Newark hub saying more than 348,000 passengers have been disrupted by delays since the start of November due to the air traffic controller shortage.

United said that on Nov. 15 alone, air traffic control staffing issues resulted in canceled flights that disrupted 1,880 customers; gate and other delays disrupted an additional 24,558.