Why Airlines Keep Canceling FlightsAnd Will Yours Be Affected?
Pent-up demand has spurred a record number of fliers across the U.S. in recent weeks. share this article  Its official: Air travel is back. Around 10 million passengers passed through U.S. airports over the Fourth of July holiday weekend, a record volume for the pandemic. Summer bookings are approaching 2019 levels. But thats brought back some things we havent missed: packed planes, crowded airports, and, now, a rash of delayed and canceled flights. In recent weeks, flight snafus have become more common as major airlines add flights to their domestic schedules to meet increasing demand. While some delays can be attributed to severe weather, staffing shortages are also throwing a wrench into the system, airline sources say. Frustrated passengers have been airing their gripes on social mediaand since flights are operating close to 90 percent full at peak times (holidays and weekends), it can be more difficult to get rebooked if something goes wrong. Two of the largest airlines in the country, American and Southwest, have been particularly affected by a series of complications, ranging from computer meltdowns to a spate of violent thunderstorms. Added to that is the uncertainty over how many pilots and flight attendants are ready to resume their duties. What makes the summer of 2021 unusual is the coincidence of all these factors coming together, and at great intensity, says Brad Hawkins, a spokesman for Southwest. Article continues below advertisement  Both airlines say theyve been proactively scrubbing a small number of flights each day to lessen the strain on the system, but delays are still affecting thousands of flights every day, according to flightaware.com. Southwest has had as many as 40 percent of its flights delayed on busy days. The carriers schedule is based on high frequencies, meaning an airplane can be in as many 10 cities in one day, Hawkins points out. We took delays to make sure as many people traveled on their scheduled flights as possible, he adds, so that customers didnt get stuck because of a lack of available open seats on other flights. American said it is pre-emptively canceling about 1 percent of its scheduled flights through at least the middle of July, which equates to about 50 to 80 departures a day, according to an American spokeswoman. Other major domestic airlines, such as Delta and United, have also said they are now actively hiring flight crewin part because last year, many pilots at major airlines took early retirement. Airlines were prohibited from laying off workers as a condition of the $50 billion in federal aid they received during the pandemic, but thousands of workers left their jobs through buyouts, leaves of absences and other inducements. Some observers say the airlines shouldnt have loaded up their schedules so quickly until they had adequate staffing. If you publish a schedule, youre supposed to adhere to that schedule, says William J. McGee, an aviation expert and author of the book Attention All Passengers. Avoid getting stranded at the airport with these tips  Article continues below advertisement  Book the earliest flight out you can. The first flight of the day is more important now than ever, McGee says. You should book that 6 a.m. departure, as delays tend to pile up later in the day. Try to take a nonstop over a connection if you can, even if that means an increase in airfare. As McGee notes,Why double your chances of a problem if you can avoid it? Arrive at the airport earlier than usual. Thats because full flights mean any disruption can have a wider impact on operations. The higher the load factors go, the more the system implodes when things go wrong, he adds. Southwest also said that its urging fliers to get to the airport earlier than usual and to prepare for crowded conditionsat all stages of the journey. Travelers are facing unforeseen delays such as scarce parking and long checkpoint lines, long before they can get to a gate, the airline says. Flight booking site Hopper recommends building some buffer time into your plans. If youre traveling for a special event, you may consider flying in a day early, Hopper advises. The company also offers a rebooking protection feature that gives travelers the option of choosing a flight on another airline if their flight is disrupted or canceled. Know your rights as a flier Airlines dont guarantee their flight schedules, and travelers need to keep that in mind when planning their itineraries, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation, which publishes a fly rights manual on its website. Article continues below advertisement