Weary travelers have returned to the airport on the July Fourth weekend only to face thousands of flight delays and even cancelations. On Friday, 464 US flights were cancelled and 6,600 were delayed (28.8% of the scheduled flights),Saturday had 5,893 delays and 655 cancellations, which were followed by Sunday’s 930 delayed flights and 200 cancelled flights. All the cuts in the flights could have been caused by the staffing shortages – particularly pilot shortages – or it could just mean something else.
Airline executives blamed flight cuts and understaffing on the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA ). But the FAA disputed this claim in a firm statement. In an interview last month, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, said that he wanted to wait to see how air travel over the July Fourth holiday weekend and the rest of the summer went before he determines if his department will take enforcement action against airlines or not.
“Airlines offer miles as compensation for some travel issues, and you can often negotiate on this. That’s between you and the airline, “ Buttigieg said on Twitter. “But you are entitled to cash refunds for canceled flights – that’s a requirement that we will continue to enforce.”
The Southwest Airlines ( which have cut nearly 20,000 flights ) have made it its goal to hire at least 10,000 new workers and pilots this year. Other airlines have also made goals to solve this dilemma, like reducing their schedules. This way, according to FlightAware spokeswoman Kathleen Bangs, people expect the wave of cancellations to stabilize by the fall.
Sources
• https://www.nbcnews.com/news/record-july-4th-travel-weekend-thousands-flights-delayed-cancelled-rcna36497
• https://www.nbcnews.com/business/business-news/airlines-pilot-shortage-flight-cancellations-summer-travel-rcna32613
Airline executives blamed flight cuts and understaffing on the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA ). But the FAA disputed this claim in a firm statement. In an interview last month, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, said that he wanted to wait to see how air travel over the July Fourth holiday weekend and the rest of the summer went before he determines if his department will take enforcement action against airlines or not.
“Airlines offer miles as compensation for some travel issues, and you can often negotiate on this. That’s between you and the airline, “ Buttigieg said on Twitter. “But you are entitled to cash refunds for canceled flights – that’s a requirement that we will continue to enforce.”
The Southwest Airlines ( which have cut nearly 20,000 flights ) have made it its goal to hire at least 10,000 new workers and pilots this year. Other airlines have also made goals to solve this dilemma, like reducing their schedules. This way, according to FlightAware spokeswoman Kathleen Bangs, people expect the wave of cancellations to stabilize by the fall.
Sources
• https://www.nbcnews.com/news/record-july-4th-travel-weekend-thousands-flights-delayed-cancelled-rcna36497
• https://www.nbcnews.com/business/business-news/airlines-pilot-shortage-flight-cancellations-summer-travel-rcna32613
