Media and travel analyst Mark Murphy discusses the summer rush for air travel and the impact of staffing shortages on the flight industry on “Fox Business Tonight.”
Travel for the Fourth of July weekend has begun, sending airlines into a whirlwind as the COVID-19 pandemic subsides and transportation returns to normal.
As of 11 a.m. EST Saturday, there were already cancellations on Saturday within, to or from the United States, according to flight tracking website FlightAware. Saturday delays totaled 1,745 nationwide, creating a cascading effect for layover flyers.
An influx of people was expected to hit the road for the holiday weekend. AAA forecast 47.9 million people will travel between Friday and Monday, with about 3.55 million of those expected to fly.
| Teleprinter | Security | Last | To change | To change % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LAU | UNITED AIRLINES HOLDINGS INC. | 36.44 | +1.02 | +2.88% |
| DAL | DELTA AIR LINES INC. | 29.52 | +0.55 | +1.90% |
| AAL | AMERICAN AIRLINES GROUP INC. | 13.13 | +0.45 | +3.55% |
| LUV | SOUTH WEST AIRLINES CO. | 36.73 | +0.61 | +1.69% |
Staffing issues and weather conditions, combined with increased travel demand after the pandemic, have strained the country’s flight infrastructure.
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Travelers check in at Philadelphia International Airport ahead of Independence Day weekend in Philadelphia on Friday, July 1, 2022. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke/AP Newsroom)
More than 7,100 flights to, from and across the United States were delayed and another 535 were canceled on Friday.
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Over the past week, thousands of flights have been halted even after carriers cut 15% of the flights they planned during the peak summer months – June through August – to make the remaining flights longer. reliable, according to Airlines for America CEO Nicholas Calio.
Travelers wait to collect their baggage at Los Angeles International Airport in Los Angeles on Friday, July 1, 2022. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong/AP Newsroom)
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The increased pressure has put airlines in dire straits – with one airline doling out hefty paydays to anyone willing to get off an overbooked plane.
Delta Airlines reportedly offered passengers $10,000 to get off an overbooked flight from Michigan to Minnesota, the passengers claimed.
Travelers wait at a TSA security checkpoint at Los Angeles International Airport in Los Angeles on Friday, July 1, 2022. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong/AP Newsroom)
Inc. The magazine’s tech columnist Jason Aten wrote that he was on a flight with his family when a flight attendant called for volunteers over the intercom.
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In a statement to The Hill, a Delta spokesperson did not confirm whether the incident took place, but the spokesperson said there is compensation for ground staff when such circumstances arise. were producing.
