You have to have the ingenuity of a 12-year-old who can make something out of nothing, or the patience of Job – maybe both – to survive an airline delay.
A cancelation is worse. You're left trying to rebook flights and make lodging arrangements. The logistics of a canceled flight can be a nightmare for some.
But that’s what made last Memorial Day and Christmas of 2022 a challenge for travelers. And that’s being kind. This Memorial Day is the start of a test for the airlines summer travel season.
This is about faith and confidence from the consumer. Whether the flying public comes out of this weekend with a renewed sense of faith that the airlines have solved all the problems and made the necessary employment addition, or you are hesitant to fly again over July 4th, Labor Day, and anything in between.
And make no mistake, this isn’t a 3rd-grade spelling bee. This is Trigonometry 2. Most aviation observers expect this to be a record-breaking summer. The airlines are under pressure. We’re not trying to over-dramatize things here, but this week will set the tone for flying for the rest of the summer. The airlines are doing what they can in terms of making more hires for agents, maintenance workers and baggage handlers, and the like.
But they can’t manufacture pilots out of nowhere.
You can make the argument that the airlines should have tried to rectify the pilot shortage problem since they seemed to recognize it so early. That’s an argument for another time. Right now, the problem is upon us, and it needs to be solved.
The problem is that flying is such an easier option, even now. Would you rather fly or take the train, or a bus, or long drive?
But patience with the airlines is running thin. That’s what makes this summer so critical. We simply can’t wake up when it’s all over and find out there have been an insane number of delays and canceled flights.
That would be a failing grade.
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