CLEVELAND, Ohio — Not even the director of Cleveland Hopkins International Airport escaped the chaos of air travel over the weekend.
Robert Kennedy’s Saturday morning flight to Atlanta was canceled, one of several dozen flights to and from Cleveland that were canceled over the long holiday weekend due to manpower shortages, scheduling problems, weather problems or some combination.
The scenario played out time and time again at every airport in the U.S., where airline cancellations and delays left travelers scrambling to salvage vacation plans and long-delayed vacations.
And it’s a problem that isn’t likely to go away any time soon, as airlines continue to struggle to meet rising travel demand following a massive downturn caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
“Travel is extremely stressful right now,” said travel agent Kim Gray, owner of Travel Leaders in North Olmsted. This week, his office has helped twenty clients negotiate delayed flights and transfers over the past few days.
Citing data from flight-tracking technology company FlightAware, industry analyst Henry Harteveldt said nearly 3% of all weekend holiday flights in the US were canceled in 2022, up 33% from the same period in 2019; delays increased by 21%.
Friday and Saturday, July 1 and 2, appeared to be the most problematic for holiday travelers, with more than 1,200 cancellations and 13,000 delays reported over those two days, according to FlightAware.
“This past weekend was certainly not a weekend that US airlines can point to with pride,” said Harteveldt, president of the San Francisco-based Atmospheric Research Group. “Airlines are doing a phenomenal job of destroying potential future demand.”
He cited a recent survey that found 74% of travelers this summer regretted their decision to fly. “This is not good for the airlines, their employers, the communities they serve or their investors.”
Cleveland had eight cancellations on Friday, 10 on Saturday, three on Sunday, two on Monday and eight on Tuesday.
Many airlines and destinations were affected: On Saturday, United Airlines canceled a flight from Cleveland to Los Angeles, Delta canceled a flight to Atlanta, and American canceled flights to New York and Washington, D.C.
Other destinations from Cleveland affected were Charlotte, Denver, Orlando and Toronto.
As a testament to the fight, Delta Air Lines made a surprise offer last week, waiving passengers who wanted to reroute and not fly over the long weekend.
“It is a startling realization that an airline would not be willing to serve customers to whom it has already sold tickets,” Harteveldt said.
United Airlines has also tried to get ahead of the problem, proactively canceling 50 flights a day from Newark, New Jersey, one of the carrier’s hubs and one of the busiest airports in the United States. In an announcement last month, the airline cited air traffic control issues and ongoing construction work, not airline personnel, as the reasons for the reduction.
Numerous United flights between Cleveland and Newark have been canceled in recent weeks, including a 5:32 p.m. departure from Hopkins on Tuesday.
Cleveland’s newest carrier, Alaska Airlines, hasn’t been immune to problems either. The airline canceled both eastbound and westbound flights to and from Cleveland on Saturday, June 25 — just the 10th day of flights from Hopkins — leaving more than 350 passengers scrambling for alternate routes to and from Seattle.
Among those inconvenienced: Michelle of Lake County, who was wrapping up a weeklong honeymoon on the West Coast when she got word that her flight back to Cleveland had been canceled. “We thought we were safe because it was a brand new route,” he said. “We’ve been waiting for this for months.”
Harteveldt and Gray offered these tips as travelers negotiate the busy summer travel season:
* Book a non-stop flight whenever possible and early in the morning to avoid delays that may occur throughout the day.
* Choose an airline that flies to your destination every day instead of a few times a week, which should make rebooking easier. “Some airlines exchange tickets with other airlines,” Harteveldt said. But some don’t. “The best they can do is give you a refund and then you’re stuck buying a last minute ticket – and that can be very expensive.”
* Check in online, get to the airport early, pay for checked baggage in advance or fly with hand luggage only.
* Download your airline’s phone app, which often shares flight change information before email and websites.
* Consider a plan B in case your flight is delayed or canceled.
Finally, Harteveldt added: treat the airline staff with kindness. “It’s not their fault and you need someone to talk to to help you get to your destination,” he said.
Frustrated Alaska flier Michelle finally contacted an airline representative via Facebook Messenger after initially being told she would have to wait 10 hours to speak to a customer service representative on the phone. She and her new husband ended up booking their own flights home – with two layovers rather than a layover. He has filed a claim against Alaska to reimburse him for his additional expenses. (He asked that his last name not be used because he is waiting for Alaska to process the claim.)
Airport director Kennedy, meanwhile, was booked on a flight to Atlanta the day after his canceled flight.
He offered this advice to travelers this summer: “People need to be patient,” he said. “It will stay that way for a while.”
Alaska Airlines’ first flight from Cleveland to Seattle: leg room, outlets, movies and more
Airfare from Cleveland Hopkins surged, including flights to Orlando, Los Angeles, Las Vegas and more
Note to readers: If you purchase something through one of our affiliate links, we may earn a commission.
