TROY – High prices aren’t stopping Americans ’desire to travel.
Last week the AAA predicted last week 48 million Americans would travel on the Fourth of July over the weekend, up 4% from 2021 and 2% less than than the first trip in 2019. Ustravel.org reported 41% of American travelers said gas prices would be higher. affect their travel options for the next six months.
Travel representative Corie Devall, owner of Travel by Corie in Troy, said its sales were higher this year than ever before, including the years before the disease.
“They don’t seem to care what the weather is right now,” he said of the travelers. “Gas prices are higher for fuel and airplanes, but it doesn’t seem to matter.
“It looks like, and maybe I am, but for the past two years the trip has fallen apart, and so they’ve saved their money or just got a new credit card,” he said. . “It doesn’t matter what the cost, they’re ready to go and they want to get out of here.”
Travel by Corie specializes in personal and special tours in Mexico and the Caribbean. Devall said he has seen a situation with families choosing to go to Cancún and Punta Cana. He believes it’s part of their picture of non -stop planes.
The increase in interest in travel coincides with the increase in frustration. The Department of Immigration reported that air travel customer complaints were 321.5% above the disease level based on data compiled from April 2022. Of the complaints, 32.3% thought in refunds and 30.5% concerns of cancellations, delays and other changes from flight schedules.
“The main complaint is the rising prices of luggage,” Devall said of his customers. “A lot of my customers fly to Frontier, so when they go to check in and buy their luggage … now there’s more luggage.”
According to FlightAware’s U.S. Domestic and International Delays and Cancellations Report, 2.8% of the 262,422 flights were canceled last week and half and 55,864 flights were delayed with an average delay time of 50 minutes.
“It’s short, just like everyone else,” Devall said of the airlines.
“If you fly at the end of the month, there is a chance that your flight could be canceled or delayed due to pilots and your planes, you can only fly several hours a month,” he said. she said. too many, by the end of the month, have already done their hours and therefore have to cancel flights or postpone due to short pilots and short staff.
“It’s best to fly at the beginning of the month, the middle of the month, because there’s less chance of your flight being delayed or canceled,” Devall said.
Devall said he has also seen an increase in interest in all packages among his customers.
“People really want to do everything because they know they don’t have worries, it’s easy for them,” he said. “I think it’s not just me, but a lot of travel agencies, in general, are a lot busier now because it’s so convenient.”
