(CNN) – Temperatures are rising, Covid cases are dropping, restrictions are easing in the blink of an eye and the summer break is so close you can smell sunscreen. But going away this year will not be easy or comfortable.
Experts are warning that the turmoil travelers endured during spring break is a harbinger of worse to come.
And all, and we’re headed for an intense season that can put even the most experienced traveler on edge. It would take more than the prospect of a fully reclining business class seat to make the row worry-free.
While many problems occur around the world, it is the United States where they are most acutely felt at the moment. With China still regularly locked down, the US is likely to be on its way to regaining the title of busiest country in terms of air traffic passenger numbers.
And it just had its busiest weekend since Covid arrived, with 6.5 million passengers going through airport security checks Friday through Sunday. However, not everyone boarded their scheduled flight.
Nearly 1,000 flights to or from the United States were canceled over the weekend, adding to legions that had been unable to take off in previous weeks.
Be safe and reduce your schedule
The JetBlue aircraft landed at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Arlington, Virginia, on January 18, 2022. JetBlue recently announced it was withdrawing its summer schedule.
Image Stefani Reynolds / AFP / Getty
Much more is to come, with major US airlines saying they don’t have enough pilots to fly on their schedules.
Worse yet, there could be implications for aviation safety.
The root of the problem was the measures taken by airlines to stay afloat in the early days of the pandemic when passenger fleets were grounded and the skies were silent. Flush with cash, airlines quickly began to unload planes and release thousands of pilots and support crews.
“Pilot fatigue” is something that’s been around for a while, says Mutean. “And that means the system is really stressed right now. So a lot of people are getting back to flying, especially over Easter and Passover weekend.”
“Airlines are often smaller and cabin crews are struggling to keep up,” he said.
Compounding the problem: Some pilots have reached retirement age or have decided to leave the profession, meaning major US passenger airlines are struggling to cope with traffic rates returning to 90% before the pandemic but with a smaller number of pilots.
And while cabin crew hours are tightly regulated, unions say putting pilots on their maximum hours means they can’t make time for the stress of issues. other problems such as delays caused by bad weather. Pilots getting sick from fatigue were another reason for flight cancellations.
‘It’s going to get worse’
Passengers line up for check-in at Manchester Airport’s Terminal 1 in the UK on April 16, 2022. Airports across the UK have struggled with landings due to a lack of staff.
Ioannis Alexopoulos / LNP / Shutterstock
Worse still, there have been similar problems at some airports, especially in Europe. The chaos at UK airports over the previous few weeks was partly blamed for the staffing shortage as facilities struggled to fill streamlined positions. during the pandemic.
“Summer will be chaotic,” he believes – so much so that he advises his followers to avoid Europe in August, the time of peak season.
“I think we’ve seen some delays related to the pandemic, but I think they’ve been factored into the equation at this point – I don’t think that’s really a good excuse,” he said.
“It’s everyone’s fault, except their own. If they look closely in the mirror, they’ll realize that during the pandemic, they’ve cut staff and laid off staff, and now the need is. Demand rose again and they caught off guard. ‘couldn’t ramp up staff fast enough to meet demand.”
While Alaska and JetBlue are cutting flights, the spike in airfare will create temptation for Covid-affected airlines to try to offset the pandemic’s damage by sell seats to meet the needs of the market.
But while many airlines are now ramping up hiring, paying big dollars to sign new pilots, there’s still the prospect that many flights in the coming months will simply not take off as scheduled. submit.
Mass mask confusion
A mixture of masked and non-masked travelers will pass through Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Arlington, Virginia, on April 19, 2022. Navigating the latest mask changes will be challenging. awareness for visitors.
Kevin Lamarque / REUTERS
For passengers who want a much-needed trip after a two-year restriction, the advice from experts is to buy tickets as soon as possible so that the airline can be held accountable even if their flights are cut.
“Just book now,” says Courtney Miller, chief executive officer of analytics.
“If they cancel my flight, they have to find me a new one; if I wait, the risk is on me,” he said.
Even when passengers board, Monday’s revocation of the US government’s mask-wearing rule for planes could add to the confusion. Many airlines now offer optional masks on board, but regulations will be different for international flights where face coverings may still be required.
There is likely to still be uncertainty about whether mask-wearing is encouraged, as the latest decision countered the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s earlier expansion of its mandate to wear masks. masks and the situation is currently under formal review.
The general consensus is elusive
Medical professionals may find themselves unnecessary in mid-flight cover.
Leana Wen, a professor of health policy and management at the Milken School of Public Health at George Washington University, told CNN she personally would still wear a mask on planes, trains and airports.
All in all, the medical director for the Association of State and Territories Health Officials told CNN Tuesday that travel mask missions will continue — at least for a little longer until the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. U.S. Disease Control and Prevention has additional data on the spread of secondary BA.2.
“We think wearing a mask when transporting interstate remains an important intervention worthy of consideration,” said Dr. Marcus Plescia, chief medical officer at the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials. is continued.
“The biggest concern is, we want everyone to be safe, and we’re concerned that we’re not getting over the pandemic as much as people would like and the (Covid-19) rate is starting to go up again.” Plescia said.
Extreme ground game
People line up to pick up their cars at the Avis desk at the Car Rental Center at Miami International Airport on April 12, 2021. Travelers can expect long waits and sky-high prices this year.
Joe Raedle / Getty Images
Zane Kerby, president of the American Association of Travel Advisors, warns that the destination will likely give you even more headaches. Car rental, for example, is another industry struggling to handle a post-pandemic pivot.
“It could be worse than last year,” he warned. “There are popular destinations in the US – Honolulu, LA, South Florida – where prices have skyrocketed to unbelievable levels.”
Last year, he was quoted $3,200 for a week’s rent in Hawaii.
“I don’t want to buy a car, just rent it,” he said.
CNN’s Gregory Wallace, Elizabeth Wolfe, Travis Caldwell, Amanda Jackson and Jacqueline Howard contributed to this story.
