The U.S. is preparing for “Airmageddon”, as some industry professionals call it. Travelers are anticipating a possible meltdown at airports, airlines, security and customs checkspoints, and hotels and other hotel services.
AAA projects that approximately 42 million Americans will drive 50-miles or more on their next road trip.
The real problem is that 3.5 million people will fly to this weekend’s holiday weekend. Averagely, airfares are 14% higher than usual, with some markets having quadrupled. Hotel rates have risen by 23% since 2021.
All this happens while major airlines and travel stakeholders fight over cancellations and delays. The FAA is blaming airlines for delays. Pilots blame the FAA for flying schedules they aren’t physically able to support. Increased workloads and longer flying hours are being blamed by the pilots. Passenger complaints against airlines have increased by 300% in 2019 and the U.S. Department of Transportation considers emergency rulemaking options.
London’s Heathrow Airport and Gatwick have cancelled flights in advance. Officials are also considering surge pricing for planes that are scheduled to fly during peak hours.
Travelers at Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport and Frankfurt have endured hours-long lines, thousands upon thousands of flight cancellations, and thousands of lost and stolen bags.
The DOT in the United States reports that 21% more bags were lost or mishandled this year than last.
Delta extended an unprecedented July 4th weekend waiver to customers earlier this week. It did so because of “operational difficulties.” The airline acknowledged that it anticipated difficulties in supporting its schedule, meaning they didn’t have enough flight attendants, pilots, baggage handlers, or other employees to support all scheduled flights over the next four days. It encouraged customers to rebook other flights without any penalties or fees. This was basically asking passengers to not fly. This waiver has not been used by any other U.S. airline.
Many airlines in the United States continue to blame Federal Aviation Administration staff at their air traffic control centers for delays. The U.S. Department of Transportation claims that most airline delays are not due to staffing at the center. Many airlines are also parking regional jets of 50 seats because they don’t have pilots and the planes are not profitable to operate at current fuel prices. Translation: By Labor Day, secondary market cities like Ithaca, New York and Toledo, Ohio will see their airline service severely reduced or eliminated.
The U.S. DOT may impose financial penalties on airlines that publish unrealistic flight schedules. These rules could require airlines to prove they can support flights with the right allocation of staff before they are permitted to schedule these flights. They are also considering charging airlines higher fees to schedule flights during peak hours of 8 a.m./ 5 p.m. — known as congestion pricing. Additionally, they may ask airlines to reschedule 30% to depart between 8 and 12 a.m. because night flights have fewer delays.
Amtrak, despite airlines cancelling flights and cutting frequency, is still a travel lighthouse. It adds to its schedules and runs trains more often as passengers switch to trains for short- or medium-haul trips. AAA reports the number of Americans expected driving this weekend. However, they don’t know how many people will be in each car. This is because airfares have increased dramatically. It will not only be crowded on roads, but it will also be crowded inside cars.
There is a second ray of light: Bookings for future airline, hotel, and resort bookings after September 15 are on the verge of collapse. Seasonality is one reason — parents and children are back at work, while their kids are in school. The high cost of travel in the summer 2022 could mean that many Americans will not travel during September. Bookings may be more affordable from September to December for those who are looking for lower airfares and more frequent flyer points.
