- A record number of Americans are expected to travel by air over the Fourth of July weekend.
- Countless passengers have already faced travel disruptions.
- United Airlines is responsible for nearly 80% of canceled flights in the US.
Imagine the entire population of Los Angeles converging on an airport, with the addition of Cincinnati. That’s the number of Americans expected to fly this Independence Day weekend, according to AAA. This surge in travel puts a strain on the aviation system, which is already facing challenges. Severe storms in the Northeast have disrupted the plans of hundreds of thousands of people, leading to frustration and even desperate measures like sleeping on tables and luggage carts.
Insider interviewed stranded passengers who shared their harrowing experiences. One passenger had to cancel their trip to South Africa after being stuck at Newark Liberty International Airport for two-and-a-half days. Another passenger had to drive hundreds of miles and take an additional flight just to retrieve her luggage. Flight cancellations and delays have reached unprecedented levels, with United Airlines being hit the hardest. As of Thursday afternoon, United accounted for nearly 80% of canceled flights in the US.
United Airlines’ Struggles
Although the weather conditions have improved, United Airlines continues to face disruptions. Flight delays and cancellations are primarily concentrated in airports located in Chicago, Denver, and Newark. United CEO Scott Kirby attributes the airline’s challenges in Newark to a shortage of air traffic controllers in the New York City area. However, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg disagrees with this assessment, acknowledging that air traffic control staffing at a critical Federal Aviation Administration facility in New York is severely inadequate. Buttigieg emphasized the need for more resources for air traffic control.
To alleviate the situation, United is offering triple pay to flight attendants who are willing to fill in for additional flights over the weekend. However, the Association of Flight Attendants reports delays of up to three hours for crews calling in for assignments.
A spokesperson from United Airlines stated that severe weather conditions and FAA staffing constraints have created a challenging operating environment for flights in and out of the New York area.
The Perfect Storm
As the holiday weekend progresses, travelers face additional challenges. Scattered showers and thunderstorms are forecasted in the Northeast, with potential storms along the East Coast and unstable weather in the West. Furthermore, the introduction of new 5G wireless service may interfere with airline planes, leading to potential disruptions in bad weather.
American, United, Southwest, Alaska, and Frontier have retrofitted their planes with new radio altimeters to mitigate the impact of 5G service. However, Delta Air Lines faces challenges as approximately 190 planes in their fleet have not been updated due to a shortage of altimeters from their supplier. Delta plans to schedule these planes in a way that avoids landing in poor visibility until the upgrades are completed. Regional airlines and international carriers operating flights to the US may also be affected by the radio interference issue.
While the number of delayed flights has decreased significantly from Wednesday to Thursday, travelers must still remain vigilant as they navigate the challenges of this holiday weekend.
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