Will airlines be able to keep up with surging summer demand?

JIMMIE JOHNSON: PLANNING TO JET OFF TO LONDON? 

GOING ON A FAMILY VACATION TO HAWAII?

I HATE TO BE A BUZZKILL, BUT GETTING TO YOUR SUMMER DESTINATION THIS YEAR COULD BE A GAMBLE.

TED BRADPIECE: ”Let’s put it this way, it’s not guaranteed that they’re necessarily going to get there on the day that they want to get there.”

JIMMIE: WHAT’S AILING THE AIRLINES? LET’S GET THIS STRAIGHT.

AIRPORTS AND AIRLINES ARE BRACING FOR A SUMMER SURGE. 

BRADPIECE: “People really, for the last 18 to 24 months, being stir crazy not going anywhere. And finally being at the point where they just need to get out.”

JIMMIE: TED BRADPIECE IS PRESIDENT OF A LOS ANGELES-BASED TRAVEL AGENCY. 

HE DESCRIBES THE UPCOMING SUMMER RUSH AS A “PERFECT STORM” FOR AIR TRAVEL.

IN MARCH ALONE, T-S-A SAYS MORE THAN TWO-MILLION PASSENGERS A DAY TOOK TO THE SKIES. THAT’S NEARLY DOUBLE THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO FLEW AT THIS SAME TIME LAST YEAR AND JUST SHY OF PRE-PANDEMIC LEVELS.

WHILE THE PASSENGERS ARE BACK, MANY PILOTS AND FLIGHTS CREWS ARE NOT.

ACCORDING TO BLOOMBERG, AIRLINES LOST MORE THAN 400-THOUSAND WORKERS DURING COVID-19.

BRADPIECE: ”And as you bring them back on, depending on how long they had been laid off for determines how long their recertification training is”>

JIMMIE: STAFFING SHORTAGES HAVE FORCED SEVERAL AIRLINES [SPIRIT, JETBLUE, ALASKA, AND SOUTHWEST] TO SLASH ROUTES AND FLIGHTS FROM THEIR SUMMER SCHEDULE.  

FLIGHTS ARE ALWAYS SUBJECT TO REGULAR DELAYS AND CANCELLATIONS, BUT NOW IT CUT INTO YOUR VACATION.

BRADPIECE: “the rule of thumb right now would be to allow yourself two extra days to get to your destination so that you don’t risk losing your entire trip.”

JIMMIE: ON TOP OF PLANES IDLING, YOU HAVE THE RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR MAKING JET FUEL  MORE EXPENSIVE AND HARD TO GET AT SOME AIRPORTS. AS A RESULT, THOSE COSTS ARE BEING PASSED ON TO YOU. 

ARE YOU PLANNING TO TRAVEL THIS SUMMER? 

IF SO, ARE YOU FLYING? LET ME KNOW IN THE COMMENTS BELOW.