Ellie and Ryan Weseloh feel lucky to have escaped the worst of summer for air travelers.
Flight cancellations and delays were not completely ignored. Air travel nearly wreaked havoc on a large gathering as other family members struggled across the country, with some eventually giving up and driving long distances to get to the gathering, they said. But the Weselohs’ flight made it through, and cancellations and delays on the other international and domestic flights the Chicago couple took this summer were kept to a minimum.
Still, they are reconsidering traveling to a family wedding this fall. His concern now is the high price of the hotel and airfare.
The busy summer season was once again marked by travelers eager to get out after years of travel delays, but also by high prices, canceled flights and delays that left passengers sitting at airports or on the tarmac. As another holiday weekend approaches, followed by the typically slower fall travel season, airlines and travelers are adjusting their habits and expectations.
Major carriers have been hiring and adjusting schedules, dealing not only with their own staffing shortages but also with staffing limitations at airports and air traffic control towers that they said pose challenges. Whether those steps are enough to improve service could determine how many passengers are willing to keep flying, as an uncertain economy looms and demand stifled by the COVID-19 pandemic dwindles.
“I’m very concerned that if airlines don’t do a better job heading into the fall, passenger demand will cool down for the holiday season,” said Henry Harteveldt, travel industry analyst and president of Atmosphere Research Group.
Trainees Nadia Fort, from left, Devin Lovell and Philip Brown unload a plane at O’Hare International Airport on Aug. 23, 2022. (Antonio Perez/Chicago Tribune)
More cancellations and delays are common in the summer, when unpredictable weather can keep planes grounded. Still, it’s been a rough summer for travelers.
According to FlightAware, a higher proportion of flights across the country were canceled or delayed in June, July and August than during the pre-pandemic summer of 2019. Flight delays from O’Hare International Airport hovered around 23% during the summer months, compared to about 24% nationwide, and Midway International Airport was between 38% and 41% delayed of the flights.
At the same time, passengers were paying more for flights: 34% more in June than a year earlier and 28% more in July, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.
More consecutive weather systems pose challenges for airlines, and the key to their ability to recover from those systems is staffing, flight crew and equipment reserves, Harteveldt said. Even as airlines hire to rebuild their workforce, some are cutting their schedules in the fall to rack up more cushion, including in Chicago, where United and American Airlines operate major hubs at O’Hare.
While that should help with airline operations, the downside for travelers is that it could mean less convenient flights and higher airfares, as capacity remains lower than it might otherwise be, he said.
In many cases, flights are being consolidated, which would have a limited effect on passengers, said Mike Arnot, an industry commentator and spokesman for aviation data firm Cirium.
“That said, some smaller routes between hubs and smaller cities are being eliminated entirely,” he said. “At O’Hare, American has reduced capacity between there and destinations like Dallas, Cincinnati and Cleveland.”
United ramp trainer Margaret McNamara, right, works with trainee Tamsir Njie as she prepares a plane for departure at O’Hare International Airport on Aug. 23, 2022. (Antonio Perez/Chicago Tribune)
In a statement, an American Airlines spokesperson said such adjustments are a typical part of planning, with schedules being released nearly a year in advance and then further adjusted as airline executives make operational decisions.
“Of course, we are going to do things to make sure that we operate the airline as reliably as possible and also to account for more extreme variability in operating conditions,” CEO Robert Isom said during a July earnings call with analysts and reporters. “We’re doing that by cutting back on the schedule a little bit as we go into the third quarter. But we hope that all the work we’ve done will put us in a position where we can restore service and get back up to speed as quickly as possible.”
Airlines have increased hiring this year, which will also likely help reduce travel, especially with long lines at airports, Harteveldt said. But carriers face tough hiring markets, training time and a lack of veteran employees as more new hires come on board, he said.
Airlines have faced a shortage of pilots since before the pandemic, but this year they also hired thousands of people to work in maintenance, at airports and in other roles. Chicago-based United has hired 1,000 people for local roles this year and plans to add 300 more as the airline looks toward its schedule next spring, company executives said.
“The idea is, ‘Get them trained,’” said Omar Idris, United’s vice president at O’Hare. “It’s a long training window, there’s a long wait, there are background checks that need to be done. There is competition that has to be acquired. So we want these employees that we’re hiring today, in late summer and early fall, to be perfectly prepared for spring break and summer.”
At a recent job fair in the United Center atrium, company representatives interviewed candidates for baggage handlers, freight loaders and similar roles and offered jobs on the spot. They were screening potential flight attendants, who would have to apply and then undergo lengthy training, and recruit for corporate office, aircraft maintenance and customer service roles.
Earvie Howard interviews for a ramp services job at a United Airlines job fair on August 16, 2022, at the United Center in Chicago. United hosted the job fair in an effort to hire more ramp service employees, technicians, flight attendants and others. (Erin Hooley/Chicago Tribune)
On one side of the atrium, United-affiliated vendors were also recruiting for positions with a catering company and to provide airport wheelchair service.
United was pleased with its company’s staffing levels this summer after hiring efforts earlier in the year, but saw challenges in staffing for support fields such as catering and cabin cleaning, Idris said. United has also cited air traffic control staffing as a reason for the delays.
But at O’Hare, Idris said United’s on-time performance this summer was better than before the pandemic. He attributed it in part to the end of a 16-year runway construction project, which has freed up additional runways for use.
There may be more good news for travelers. Although higher than the previous year, airfares began to fall in June and July compared to previous months.
Some of that is typical, as fares are often cheaper in the fall than they are during peak travel months in the summer. But Scott Keyes, founder of the website Scott’s Cheap Flights, expects fares to return to some sort of normalcy as oil prices decline and pent-up demand among vacationers gives way to a surprise.
“That pent-up demand is, at the end of the day, discretionary,” he said.
So far, fall demand appears to remain strong, according to Paul Jacobs, general manager and vice president of Kayak North America. Searches for domestic and international flights are still higher than last year, according to data provided by the travel website. In Chicago, more people search for domestic flights to the city, but searches from Chicago to another US city have decreased.
“Everything indicates that consumers still want to travel. The demand is high,” he said. “Are you frustrated? I’m sure they are, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t a lot of places people still want to go, and they’re still taking a lot of makeup trips.”
Travelers queue at Terminal One at O’Hare International Airport on May 26, 2022. (Erin Hooley/Chicago Tribune)
A survey by the Harteveldt Atmosphere Research Group earlier in the summer cast doubt on vacationers’ continued willingness to travel. Of 1,770 leisure travelers who were asked how likely they were to travel for Thanksgiving and Christmas, based on delays and cancellations so far, 17% said it was less likely.
Harteveldt doesn’t expect the full 17% to opt out during the fall and winter breaks, but he worries that a lack of service improvement could cause a sharp drop in passenger numbers. The performance over Labor Day weekend will be a sign of things to come, he said.
Cancellations and delays this summer already have Molly Kastner wondering if the company she works with will adjust the way it handles clients’ fall trips, she said when she arrived at O’Hare on business.
When the New Jersey-based blueberry farm he works with had an event in Kansas City in July, several attendees were unable to attend due to flight problems. In some cases, by the time they were able to book again, the short two-hour event was over.
She wonders if this fall the company will have to get customers in a day early to make sure they can get there.
“To be proactive with that,” he said. “I was just expecting delays.”
Most nutritionists suggest consuming antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables to boost the immune system, such as berries and grapes. Protein is also great, so choose almond butter with crackers, cheese, yogurt, and nuts to keep energy levels up.
Can you text during a flight?
Can I send text messages on a plane? Yes, but only using a Wi-Fi connection. The ban on using a cellular connection means passengers cannot send SMS text messages. Any communication must be done over Wi-Fi with a messaging app that provides similar functionality such as iMessage, WhatsApp, or Viber.
Can I send text messages internationally for free? If you’re texting from the United States to another country, you’re most likely using the Type One service, which is free international texting. On the same subject : National Day of the Republic of Gabon – United States Department of State. This type of service is usually included in your cell phone plan, and it costs you nothing more than to send international text messages.
Do cell phones work on international flights?
The US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) currently prohibits the use of mobile phones on board any aircraft in flight.
Can you text on WiFi in airplane mode?
When you enable airplane mode, you disable your phone’s ability to connect to cellular or Wi-Fi networks or to Bluetooth. This may interest you : Recommended: Always Summer: Hamptons on Amazon Prime Video. This means that you cannot make or receive calls, send text messages, or browse the Internet.
What do you feel when a plane takes off?
Shortly after takeoff, you may feel a sinking sensation, which occurs when the flaps are retracted, allowing the plane to accelerate. You may also hear the engines backing up, sometimes ATC asks us to level off because the traffic is above us. To see also : Sylvester Stallone-starred ‘Samaritan’ to stream on Amazon Prime Video | Mint. Once clear we will add power and continue climbing.
How does an airplane make you feel? Empty your energy reservoir. Air pressure is lower at higher altitudes, which means your body absorbs less oxygen. Airlines “pressurize” the air in the cabin, but not to sea level pressure, so even less oxygen gets to your body when you fly, which can leave you feeling exhausted or even out of breath.
Does it feel weird when a plane takes off?
Answer: The sensation of deceleration is really one of slowing down the rate of acceleration; this is due to the reduction in thrust after takeoff to the climb setting. The feeling of “falling” comes from the retraction of the flaps and blades. Ascent speed is reduced, making it feel like a descent.
Is taking off in a plane scary?
Air travel can be a frightening experience for people of all ages and backgrounds, especially if they have never flown before or have experienced a traumatic event. It’s not something to be ashamed of: it’s no different from the personal fears and dislikes of other things that many people have.
What do I need to get on a plane in 2022?
You must present acceptable identification, such as a valid passport, state-issued enhanced driver’s license, or US military ID, to fly within the US. You will not be allowed to fly if it cannot be verified his identity.
What do I need to know before flying in 2022? Table of Contents
- 1 Dress comfortably.
- 2 Stay hydrated.
- 3 Use points to pay for your flight.
- 4 Know how to get over jet lag fast.
- 5 Use packing cubes.
- 6 Download movies before your flight.
- 7 Know how to book cheap flights.
- 8 Pack of valuables in hand luggage.
