There will be another breakdown in aeroplane service. The question is not “if,” but rather “when” it will occur. And this one might make the flight issues from the previous holiday seem like a small hiccup.
claims who? specialists, say. the Federal Aviation Administration claims. Everyone says.
Summer travellers may experience some hardship, according to Mike Taylor, managing director of J.D. Power. “Despite the safeguards taken by airlines, the industry’s fundamental infrastructure has yet to recover from the pandemic. The demand for pilots is high, and everyone wants to fly.
Even the FAA has issued an alert. The agency forecast a 45% rise in delays at New York area airports this summer compared to the same time last year when it renewed its waiver for takeoff and landing slots at the major East Coast airports this spring. That reminds me of a summer’s worth of breakdowns.
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This summer will be a “stress test” for the aviation industry, according to the U.S. Travel Association. According to a recent survey conducted by the organisation, 35% of Americans experienced a delay or cancellation in the previous year, suggesting that we have already had a preview. Therefore, it is not surprising that only 32% of recent air travellers describe their experience as “very satisfied”.
Even airlines have warned that things could become ugly. Many have cut back on their itineraries out of concern that they won’t be able to run all of their planned flights.
According to Andrew Steinberg, a travel advisor with OvationNetwork, “every major airline has warned of travel issues this summer due to staffing, potential weather, and traffic controller shortages.”
Oh, I should have brought up the lack of air traffic controllers. Yes, there is another one of those. Compared to ten years ago, there are 10% fewer fully certified controllers.
But what are the chances of a total system failure? What are fliers doing in response to the issue, and what should you do?
What are the chances of another airline disaster this summer?
It’s highly probable. All of the specialists I spoke with refused to offer me their odds because they didn’t want to scare off any potential clients. They are aware that the necessary conditions exist for a meltdown.
According to Expedia, demand is increasing, with summer airfare searches up by 25% from this time last year.
According to Christie Hudson, a spokesman for Expedia, “Airlines are still operating fewer flights than pre-pandemic, which means flights will be fuller this summer.”
Add to that the staffing challenges and other potential technical problems that may have contributed to the issues with air travel last year. Airlines continue to rely on obsolete, prone-to-failure technology. The U.S. pilot shortage is about to get a lot worse. We currently lack 8,000 pilots globally, but a recent prediction indicates that number will increase to nearly 30,000 pilots by 2032. There is also the issue with air traffic control, which I already highlighted.
All you need to do is throw in a major thunderstorm or hurricane, and presto! You’ll regret not choosing to drive.
What, aside fretting, are airline passengers doing in preparation for the summer travel season?
I inquired of a customer service guru about his summer travel plans. A renowned speaker and author named Chip Bell revealed to me that he had unwillingly scheduled a midsummer flight from Atlanta to New York for a week of theatre, concerts, and museums.
That New York, where delays will increase by 45%, is correct.
“But I took precautions,” he continued. I’m working with a seasoned travel agent who is available around-the-clock and can quickly provide substitute flights because I have an early morning trip.
And he has Amtrak as a backup in case the flights don’t take off. About 18 hours is the duration of the train, which is actually quicker than flying.
What should you do in response to the summer travel crisis?
There are measures to prevent a long delay or interruption brought on by an aircraft disaster.
Keep away from airports and routes that have a history of delays. Quite obvious, no? But before you disregard my guidance, consider this: Which airports and routes experience the most delays, do you know? Chicago Midway, New York’s JFK, and Denver had the greatest percentage of delayed flights last summer (all over 60%), per Department of Transportation data examined by Air Advisor. JFK to Atlanta, Fort Lauderdale to Newark, and Charleston to LaGuardia had the most delays. All had delays on average of 65 to 70 minutes.
“It’s reasonable to rely on the summer 2022 data as a way to make some assumptions for the summer of 2023,” said Anton Radchenko, the founder of Air Advisor.
Hire a legitimate travel agent. The worst effects of a meltdown can be avoided with the assistance of a knowledgeable human travel advisor. And they can quickly transport you home if you do, by chance, find yourself detained in a terminal. Ashley Les, a luxury travel consultant with Postcards From, stated that a travel advisor “can change the flights immediately.” This guarantees that you will never speak to an airline on the phone if there are any problems. Additionally, travel agents have insider information that will prevent you from wasting time waiting in a large queue or sleeping in a terminal.
Purchase travel insurance. The majority of travellers do not consider travel insurance to be essential for a brief domestic vacation. However, the impending aircraft disaster may cause individuals to reconsider that traditional wisdom. “The right travel insurance policy can provide compensation for the costs of additional meals, transportation, and lodging while significantly delayed,” stated Daniel Durazo, a spokesperson for Allianz Partners USA.I also have a couple ways to deal with meltdowns. They include scheduling the morning’s first flight (thanks, Chip). I also research the refund procedures of my airline and bookmark the DOT’s Fly Rights page on my browser. Anytime I can, I try to fly nonstop to lessen the likelihood of a delay or other inconvenience.
As a public service, I’ve also made the names, phone numbers, and email addresses of the airline executives available on Elliott.org, my website for consumer advocacy. You might want to email them to express your discontent if something goes wrong. They might have a quick solution for the issue.
But as someone who has witnessed far too many airline disasters, I can assure you that no amount of preparation will matter if a wall of thunderstorms is moving slowly towards the East Coast on a holiday weekend in the summer. Things will go wrong.
Which brings me to the one surefire strategy to avoid a disruption in air travel this summer. Don’t fly, as you’ve probably already guessed.
