May 21. Note to summer travelers everywhere: The post-pandemic surge in appetite for travel continues and will remain firmly in place throughout the sun-soaked months ahead.
That’s the intel from more than a few travel industry insiders as Memorial Day and the unofficial start of summer approaches.
«With daily TSA throughput numbers on many days matching or surpassing 2019 levels, suffice it to say we’re expecting a busy summer travel season,” says Travelzoo’s Senior Editor Gabe Saglie, one of many experts predicting a brisk summer season that may be impacted by more than a few flight delays and cancellations.
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) expects summer air travel to surpass pre-pandemic levels. The agency is already screening 2 million passengers every day, and those numbers are expected to tick steadily upward in the coming months.
As traveler volume grows, there continues to be a serious shortage of air traffic controllers around the country, especially in New York. Certified professional controller staff is at about 80 percent of capacity nationally, while staffing at New York Terminal Radar Approach Control (N90) is at just 54 percent of its goal, according to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
So how should the traveling public prepare for flying this summer and minimize the possibility of being impacted by cancellations and delays?
- Fly non-stop when possible
- Go early
- Be weather aware
- Download the airline’s app in advance
- Know your rights
- Get travel insurance with flight delay coverage
- Go in with a backup plan
Source: Travel Pulse
