Over 1,300 flights have been canceled already over the record-breaking July Fourth travel weekend. FlightAware’s online flight tracker reports that approximately 12,000 flights have also been delayed due to bad weather and post-pandemic staffing shortages.
On Friday alone, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) screened 2,490,490 passengers, the most since February 11, 2020. The TSA screened over 2.5 million passengers on that day, according to a tweet by TSA agency spokesperson Lisa Farbstein this Saturday. The American Automobile Association (AAA) estimates that over 49.7 million people would travel over the weekend, with 3.3 million traveling by air.
The vast numbers of people flying have created huge issues for airlines. On Friday, July 1st alone, airlines canceled 464 flights. According to FlightAware, 6,600 more flights were also delayed, making up approximately 28.8% of all flights that day.
Flight cancellations weren’t consolidated on Friday either. FlightAware reports that 5,893 flights within, into, or out of the United States were delayed on Saturday, while airlines also canceled six hundred fifty-five flights. On Sunday morning alone, 930 flights were delayed, and airlines canceled over 200 other flights. Fifty-three flights occurring on Monday were already canceled by airlines as well.
These mass cancelations follow the heavily congested Juneteenth and Memorial Day weekends. Both weekends were the most popular air travel weekends before July 4th, and airlines canceled over 5,000 flights alone.
During June, FlightAware also reports that 176,000 flights (~28%) were at least 15 minutes late, while 20,000 flights were canceled (~3%).
While cancelations were widespread across America, many of these cancelations occurred in concentrated areas. NBC reporter Julianne Shane writes, “New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, and Chicago O’Hare International Airport had the highest rates of delays and cancellations.”
Airlines and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) blame the same critical factors for the mass- cancelations: a substantial staffing shortage, lousy weather, and surging travel demand after the COVID-19 pandemic.
Top airline executives likewise blame staffing shortages at the FAA for lousy air traffic control, citing examples like Florida. CNBC reports that “airlines have complained in particular about congestion stemming from a key air traffic control center in the state that oversees planes in flight over a large swath of the Southeast.” The FAA has disputed all claims made against it.
Instead, the FAA has blamed airlines for mishandling the pilot shortage created by the pandemic. The FAA quickly criticized airlines for laying off workers despite signing deals worth over $54 billion in taxpayer funds not to lay off workers.
Other minor factors causing the bad air traffic conditions are the frequent military exercises and space launches.
Airlines have tried to resolve some of these issues, preemptively cutting 15% of flights during summer and offering huge payouts. Passengers claimed Delta offered $10,000 for overbooked passengers to get off a flight from Michigan to Minnesota. Delta also provides free flight changes, while JetBlue is proposing attendance bonuses. American Airlines is also offering triple-pay to pilots who volunteer for extra trips.
Despite the grim situation, circumstances are looking better in the future. A spokeswoman for FlightAware says that they expect fewer delays and cancelations as airlines revitalize their staff and aim to reduce their schedules in the fall.
Sources:
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/record-july-4th-travel-weekend-thousands-flights-delayed-cancelled-rcna36497
https://www.cnbc.com/2022/07/01/airline-travel-of-july-weekend-puts-airlines-and-travelers-to-the-test-after-difficult-spring.html
https://www.foxbusiness.com/lifestyle/fourth-july-travel-hundreds-flights-canceled-busy-weekend
On Friday alone, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) screened 2,490,490 passengers, the most since February 11, 2020. The TSA screened over 2.5 million passengers on that day, according to a tweet by TSA agency spokesperson Lisa Farbstein this Saturday. The American Automobile Association (AAA) estimates that over 49.7 million people would travel over the weekend, with 3.3 million traveling by air.
The vast numbers of people flying have created huge issues for airlines. On Friday, July 1st alone, airlines canceled 464 flights. According to FlightAware, 6,600 more flights were also delayed, making up approximately 28.8% of all flights that day.
Flight cancellations weren’t consolidated on Friday either. FlightAware reports that 5,893 flights within, into, or out of the United States were delayed on Saturday, while airlines also canceled six hundred fifty-five flights. On Sunday morning alone, 930 flights were delayed, and airlines canceled over 200 other flights. Fifty-three flights occurring on Monday were already canceled by airlines as well.
These mass cancelations follow the heavily congested Juneteenth and Memorial Day weekends. Both weekends were the most popular air travel weekends before July 4th, and airlines canceled over 5,000 flights alone.
During June, FlightAware also reports that 176,000 flights (~28%) were at least 15 minutes late, while 20,000 flights were canceled (~3%).
While cancelations were widespread across America, many of these cancelations occurred in concentrated areas. NBC reporter Julianne Shane writes, “New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, and Chicago O’Hare International Airport had the highest rates of delays and cancellations.”
Airlines and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) blame the same critical factors for the mass- cancelations: a substantial staffing shortage, lousy weather, and surging travel demand after the COVID-19 pandemic.
Top airline executives likewise blame staffing shortages at the FAA for lousy air traffic control, citing examples like Florida. CNBC reports that “airlines have complained in particular about congestion stemming from a key air traffic control center in the state that oversees planes in flight over a large swath of the Southeast.” The FAA has disputed all claims made against it.
Instead, the FAA has blamed airlines for mishandling the pilot shortage created by the pandemic. The FAA quickly criticized airlines for laying off workers despite signing deals worth over $54 billion in taxpayer funds not to lay off workers.
Other minor factors causing the bad air traffic conditions are the frequent military exercises and space launches.
Airlines have tried to resolve some of these issues, preemptively cutting 15% of flights during summer and offering huge payouts. Passengers claimed Delta offered $10,000 for overbooked passengers to get off a flight from Michigan to Minnesota. Delta also provides free flight changes, while JetBlue is proposing attendance bonuses. American Airlines is also offering triple-pay to pilots who volunteer for extra trips.
Despite the grim situation, circumstances are looking better in the future. A spokeswoman for FlightAware says that they expect fewer delays and cancelations as airlines revitalize their staff and aim to reduce their schedules in the fall.
Sources:
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/record-july-4th-travel-weekend-thousands-flights-delayed-cancelled-rcna36497
https://www.cnbc.com/2022/07/01/airline-travel-of-july-weekend-puts-airlines-and-travelers-to-the-test-after-difficult-spring.html
https://www.foxbusiness.com/lifestyle/fourth-july-travel-hundreds-flights-canceled-busy-weekend
