Flights nixed by the 100s
Flight cancellations soared Sunday, casting a dark cloud over approaching Fourth of July weekend travel plans — as airlines and the Federal Aviation Administration sparred over who is to blame.
At least 671 flights had been canceled within, into or out of the US by early Sunday afternoon, according to tracking website Flight Aware. Delta had scrapped 204 flights by 2:30 p.m. EST and Southwest Airlines axed more than 100.
At Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport, where Southwest has a hub, 10% of all flights were canceled Sunday. Approximately 4% percent of flights out of La Guardia Airport were nixed as well.
An estimated 3.5 million Americans are expected to travel by plane during the upcoming holiday weekend, one of the busiest of the year, according to AAA.
The nonprofit group said that despite soaring gas prices, a record 42 million Americans are expected to take road trips for the Fourth of July, in part because of the recent chaos at airports.
Air travel over the busy Juneteenth and Father’s Day weekends earlier this month was hampered by thousands of flight delays and cancellations.
Similar troubles snarled air traffic over Memorial Day weekend and the winter holidays.
To make matters worse, the average price of a plane ticket is $201, up 14% from last year, AAA said.
Higher prices come as the FAA and major US airlines are pointing fingers at each other over the ongoing travel chaos.
Airlines said they are contending with shortages of pilots, flight attendants and other staffers after a wave of layoffs and resignations during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Pointing fingers
Airlines for America, which represents heavyweights like Delta, United and Southwest, also said delays and cancellations are due in part because there is a shortage of FAA air traffic controllers.
The FAA denied there was a shortage and cast doubt on the airline-staffing crises claims.
“People expect when they buy an airline ticket that they’ll get where they need to go safely, efficiently, reliably and affordably,” the agency said, according to CNBC. “After receiving $54 billion in pandemic relief to help save the airlines from mass layoffs and bankruptcy, the American people deserve to have their expectations met.”
While travel figures still trail pre-pandemic levels, the industry has experienced a surge in demand in recent months — compounding the effects on airlines scrambling to manage a renewed volume of passengers. Carriers are also paying top dollar for fuel.
The flight disruptions have caught the attention of the Biden administration.
Treasury Secretary Pete Buttigieg previously said he has pushed for airlines to conduct “stress tests” for their summer schedules and warned the US could penalize carriers who fail to uphold federal consumer protection standards.
“That is happening to a lot of people, and that is exactly why we are paying close attention here to what can be done and how to make sure that the airlines are delivering,” Buttigieg said.