By Rajesh Kumar Singh CHICAGO (Reuters) -United Airlines is facing a financial hit and potential long-term reputational harm as flight delays and cancellations pile up due to ongoing disruptions at Newark airport - one of its largest hubs and among the busiest in the country.

Caught in the middle of the issues at Newark is United Airlines, which is the most active airline at the New Jersey airport. While the problems lie with the FAA system, the airline is where people often aim their frustrations over cancellations and delays.

The Denver outage is the latest in a series of glitches that have put a spotlight on the nation’s aging air traffic control system.

Air traffic controllers in Denver had to scramble to use backup frequencies after their main communications lines went down for 90 seconds earlier this week in the latest Federal Aviation Administration equipment failure.

In an email to customers on Monday, United CEO Scott Kirby assured them that "all the flights in and out of EWR (Newark) are absolutely safe." But for the airline, the timing of the chaos is ...

When you have to communicate effectively in a tough situation, pick the most important message and stick with it.

The airline told the Sun the e-mail was sent to passengers who have upcoming flights to or through Newark’s airport, as well as its MileagePlus

"We've turned the corner, and we have the commitment," United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby said of reforms to the Federal Aviation Administration.