Several days of disruption to flights to and from the New York metropolitan area have raised concerns about how well airlines are preparing for the upcoming Independence Day weekend, when record air travel is expected. ing.
It is estimated that more than 4 million Americans will be flying during this holiday period, according to. AAA, The number of car owner groups is up about 11 percent from last year and about 6 percent higher than the record set in 2019. The busiest holiday day is Thursday with 52,564 flights. Federal Aviation Administration Said.
But as travelers prepare for a busy weekend, airlines have blamed the country’s air traffic control agency, the FAA, for at least some of the thousands of canceled flights and tens of thousands of delayed flights across the country this week. tried to transfer.
Here’s what travelers should know:
What is the situation at airports in the Tohoku region?
Travel at New York airports, especially Newark, has been in turmoil since the weekend, with many travelers reporting significant flight delays and difficulty rebooking canceled flights. In some cases, passengers reported sleeping inside the airport, waiting in line to contact customer service representatives, or waiting on the phone for hours.
1 passenger said on twitter A connecting flight operated by United Airlines and departing Newark Airport over the weekend was delayed about 15 hours after it was “dropped” off the plane after midnight, it said. Their families slept in cots inside the terminal.
The thunderstorm hit along the East Coast and was in a “perfect location” to shut off the busy New York and Florida markets, FAA spokesman Chris Citrola said. said in a video posted online.
“What happens is the domino effect of the problem,” he says. “We have crew that can’t go where they need to go, and we can’t get crew out of where they need to go, and that’s starting to become a lot of trouble at the airport itself.”
Which airlines are most affected? Who’s to blame?
Of the nearly 4,500 flights canceled nationwide on Monday and Tuesday, more than 30% were operated by United Airlines, according to flight tracking company FlightAware. Other airlines reporting significant cancellations include JetBlue Airways, Delta’s subsidiary Endeavor, Delta, United and Republic Airlines, which operates American Airlines.
By mid-afternoon Wednesday, United Airlines, based at Newark Liberty International Airport, had canceled about 15% of its national flights scheduled for the day, according to FlightAware. Endeavor canceled about 12% of its flights, JetBlue canceled about 9% and Republic Airlines about 8%.
United and JetBlue blame FAA for problems, not just weather
United Airlines said in a statement Wednesday that a shortage of air traffic staff over the weekend contributed to a “challenging operating environment.” The accusation echoed what Chief Executive Officer Scott Kirby told staff in a memo earlier this week, saying, “The FAA frankly let us down this weekend.” JetBlue also said in a statement that it has struggled to meet its schedule since air traffic control restricted all airlines to and from New York Airport.
What’s really going on with FAA staffing?
The FAA said Monday or Tuesday it had no issues with air traffic control staffing along the East Coast. “We will always work with anyone who is serious about helping us solve the problem,” the agency said in a statement.
However, air traffic control has long been understaffed, and controllers at many facilities often work six days a week to make up for those shortfalls.
and Report released last week, the Department of Transportation found that most of the 26 critical air traffic control facilities it identified were understaffed by more than 15 percent as of March 2022. One of those facilities, New York Terminal Radar Approach Control, oversees some of the most complex facilities in the nation. In difficult airspace, only 54 percent of the target number of controllers was employed.
The report said the problem has been going on for years, something United’s Kirby pointed out on Monday.
“It’s not the fault of the current FAA leadership that they’re in this severely understaffed position,” he said in a staff memo. “The shortfall had been building up long before they took charge.” said.
The FAA also has issues with top staffing. The last permanent director he resigned in March 2022 and the institution is now headed by his second temporary director.
What are the remedies for passengers whose flights are delayed or cancelled?
Most U.S. airlines offer compensation to passengers when flights are delayed or canceled due to factors within the airline’s control, such as maintenance problems or crew shortages. Bad weather and FAA manning are generally not eligible.
However, if the airline is at fault, major carrier Rebook a passenger on the same airline at no additional charge and offer a meal or meal voucher if the passenger has been waiting for more than 3 hours.
To deal with possible disruptions, travelers should download and monitor airline apps, consider purchasing travel insurance that typically covers flight delays, and leave in the morning if possible. I need to change my flight.
A high volume of delays and cancellations can result in longer wait times for customer service representatives. Alternatively, travelers can call the airline’s international hotline, but usually only a handful of callers call, said founder Scott Keyes. Going.comtravel deals website.
Will this weekend be a repeat of what happened last summer?
“It’s going to be a very busy weekend and there could be some disruption,” said Mike Arnott, spokesman for aviation analytics firm Cirium. Severe heat in the south and smoky skies from Canada’s wildfires can also cause delays.
However, Going.com’s Keyes said he feels optimistic that this summer will be better than last year, calling it a “debacle.”
He’s not the only one using the term. Between June and August last year, more than 22 percent of all flights were delayed and about 2 percent canceled. What the BTS data showed.
To avoid a recurrence and reduce pressure on air traffic control, the FAA has eased rules at some airports and encouraged airlines to operate fewer flights with large aircraft. 169 new routes have also been opened to ease congestion. Airlines hired more staff, opted to use larger planes, and began to monitor more closely for early signs of trouble.
These steps may have worked. Less than 1% of the more than 100,000 flights scheduled for this year’s Memorial Day weekend have been canceled, according to FlightAware.
