Brace yourself for a hellish winter of air travel

Airlines, aviation officials and the TSA are all telegraphing an alarming message to travelers: Flying this winter is becoming an absolute nightmare.

Why is it important? It’s unusual for all these forces to beckon so loudly that we’re only a few months away – and travelers would be wise to heed their warnings.

• Tuesday’s Southwest Airlines crash, where data connectivity issues briefly grounded takeoffs, is a reminder of how quickly a relatively small problem can turn into a major headache.

driving news; The TSA expects a record number of travelers to pass through the nation’s airports this summer, Administrator David Pecoske told Bloomberg in a new interview.

• “I expect we’ll see very, very strong interest throughout the summer and that’s what we’re gearing up for,” Pecoske said.
• “It will be a challenge, but we have faced this challenge in previous years and succeeded in it.”

Meanwhile, Several major airlines are cutting winter service amid concerns about air traffic control staffing levels.

• For example, staffing at a key location control facility in New York is about half of target levels. The national workforce is about 80%.
• Because the national airspace system is so interconnected — and because New York is such a congested area — problems there can easily be replicated nationally.

Be smart. The regulator’s staffing problems are partly a holdover from the Covid-19 pandemic, which has slowed the hiring and training process.

The plot: In anticipation of a potentially record-breaking summer, the FAA is allowing airlines to fly fewer flights without risking losing “slots” at key airports to reduce pressure on the national airspace system.

• Normally, airlines are required to operate certain flights to prevent their slots – specifically those that serve airports – from being allocated to rival carriers.

• Airlines are opting for larger planes in an effort to accommodate more passengers on fewer total flights, CNBC reported.
• And the FAA is reassigning some airspace around Newark Liberty International Airport to Philadelphia approach controllers to ease the burden in New York.

Fact Check: Be as prepared as possible, as the nation’s airlines and airports look increasingly likely to crash this winter.

• Throw in a thunderstorm or tornado and you have a recipe for travel disaster.

The main point is: If you’re planning to fly this summer, get to the airport early, prepare for delays and cancellations, and have a Plan B — and maybe C and D — ready.