THE US IS NOW SEEING MORE AIR PASSENGERS THAN BEFORE COVID-19

A record-breaking number of travelers took to the skies this Memorial Day weekend, according to data compiled by the Transport Security Administration (TSA).

Almost 12.4 million Americans traversed TSA security points between May 25 and 29, with an eyewatering 2.72 million passengers screened on Friday alone - well above the 2.6 million initially projected by the agency. Travel during the period exceeded 2019’s previous record by roughly 180,000 passengers.

Disruption significantly decreased compared to previous years. According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), only 0.6% of flights on May 29 were canceled. In 2022, 2.3% of flights were canceled due to post-pandemic staff shortages, while 2019 saw 1.4% of flights canceled.

Hiring drives

The weekend was dubbed a “stress test” for airlines and airports by Secretary of Transport Pete Buttigieg, allowing the opportunity to gauge demand and staffing levels ahead of a chaotic summer. Buttigieg explained,

“This weekend is bringing the busiest travel days since before the pandemic, and a stress test for the airlines. Performance has been good so far - but we’ll continue to watch closely and make sure passengers are supported.”

Coming off the Memorial Day weekend, American Airlines trimmed almost 10,000 domestic flights from its September schedule. American Airlines operated nearly 5,000 fewer flights than in 2019 over the five-day period, likely due to prolonged crew and aircraft shortages. The cut-back paid off, with the legacy carrier canceling just 34 of its 26,565 scheduled services.

Low-cost carrier Southwest Airlines appears to have got its groove back. Over 2 million passengers were carried by the Texas-based budget airline between May 25 and 29, The Dallas Morning News reports.

In recent months, major airlines have been bolstering staff numbers, notably United Airlines, which unveiled plans to hire a further 15,000 employees through 2023. The TSA has similarly been bulking up its employee base to reduce delays. In a statement shared earlier this month, the agency cited improved pay incentivizing its workforce and support from the Biden Administration.

“TSA is ready to handle this summer’s anticipated increase in travel. Our staffing levels are better and this is largely due to better pay for all TSA employees which starts on July 1,” noted TSA Administrator David Pekoske.

“This key action, supported by the President and Congress, enables us, for the first time in TSA’s history, to pay our workforce using the same pay scale that applies to other federal employees. As expected, this has already improved our recruiting and retention rates.”

Where to?

Demand is expected to sustain through the summer vacation season despite increasing fares, with international destinations such as London, Cancun, Paris, and Rome at the top of the itinerary, according to data published by Travel and Leisure.

American Airlines has already confirmed it will upgrade some of its seasonal transatlantic services to year-round ventures, while United Airlines will relaunch flights to Prague (PRG) and Sweden (ARN). Delta Air Lines has resumed operations at London Gatwick Airport (LGW), bolstering capacity into the UK’s capital city. The legacy carrier offers daily non-stop flights between New York (JFK) and Gatwick.

Did you fly this Memorial Day weekend? What was your experience? Let us know in the comments.

Sources: Reuters, The Dallas Morning News, Travel and Leisure

2023-05-31T21:42:15Z dg43tfdfdgfd