By David Shepardson (Reuters) -United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby (NYSE: KEX ) said on Friday that the carrier will begin canceling 35 flights a day - or about 10% - at its Newark hub starting this weekend due to government equipment failures and air traffic control staffing issues. Throughout the week, United was forced to delay, cancel or divert dozens of flights at its hub airport just outside New York City, where it flies about 328 flights daily. "Technology that FAA air traffic controllers rely on to manage the airplanes coming in and out of Newark airport failed - resulting in dozens of diverted flights, hundreds of delayed and canceled flights and worst of all, thousands of customers with disrupted travel plans," Kirby said in an email to customers. "Unfortunately, the technology issues were compounded as over 20% of the FAA controllers for (Newark) walked off the job." A union representing the controllers declined to comment as did the Federal Aviation Administration.