The holiday travel rush hit its peak Friday as mild weather and lower flight cancelation rates raised hopes for merrier drivers and airline passengers than last year. U.S. airlines are predicting a blockbuster holiday season and have projected confidence they can handle the crowds after hiring thousands of pilots, flight attendants and other workers, seeking to avoid the delays and suspensions that marred travel last year and culminated with the Southwest Airline debacle that stranded more than 2 million people.
Quick Read
- Holiday Travel Peak:
- Date: Friday.
- Conditions: Mild weather and lower flight cancellation rates.
- Expectation: Merrier experience for travelers compared to last year.
- U.S. Airlines’ Preparations:
- Prediction: Blockbuster holiday season.
- Strategy: Hiring thousands of workers to avoid last year’s travel issues.
- Southwest Airline Debacle: Stranded over 2 million people last year.
- Flight Cancellation Rates:
- Current Status: 1.2% cancellation rate, lowest in five years.
- Warning: Weather could still pose a threat.
- Government Oversight:
- Transportation Secretary: Pete Buttigieg emphasized accountability for smooth operations.
- Southwest Settlement: $140 million for last year’s meltdown.
- Flight Status:
- Cancellations: Less than 40 flights nationwide.
- Delays: About 400 flights.
- Road Travel Forecast:
- AAA Prediction: 115 million people traveling 50 miles or more.
- Period: Between Saturday and New Year’s Day.
- Increase: 2% over last year.
- TSA Screening:
- Busiest Days: Friday and New Year’s Day.
- Numbers: Over 2.5 million travelers, below the Thanksgiving record.
- Travel Trends:
- Despite Economic Concerns: Strong travel year.
- Factors: Lower inflation, gas prices, and airfares.
- Gas Prices: $3.13 a gallon.
- Air Fares: 13% lower than last year.
- Busiest Road Travel Days:
- Dates: Saturday and Thursday, Dec. 28.
- International Air Travel:
- Status: Rebounding, still below pre-pandemic levels.
- Ticket Sales: 31% increase for international arrivals.
- Challenges in Northern Europe:
- Weather: Storm causing heavy rain and strong winds.
- Labor Unrest: Surprise strike at undersea tunnel between Britain and France.
- Eurostar Update:
- Resumption: Services to resume Friday.
- Extra Trains: Between Paris and London over the weekend.
- U.S. Weather Outlook:
- Storms: Potential in the Pacific Northwest and southern Plains.
- Northeast: Brighter conditions expected.
- Southern California: Heavy rain and street flooding.
The Associated Press has the story:
Busiest holiday travel season in years is off to a smooth start with few airport delays
Newslooks- NEW YORK (AP)
The holiday travel rush hit its peak Friday as mild weather and lower flight cancelation rates raised hopes for merrier drivers and airline passengers than last year.
U.S. airlines are predicting a blockbuster holiday season and have projected confidence they can handle the crowds after hiring thousands of pilots, flight attendants and other workers, seeking to avoid the delays and suspensions that marred travel last year and culminated with the Southwest Airline debacle that stranded more than 2 million people.
Airlines have canceled just 1.2% of U.S. flights so far this year, the lowest in five years, but bad weather is always a threat. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg has warned the government will be holding the airlines accountable to operate smoothly and treat passengers well if there are disruptions. Earlier this week, Transportation Department announced a settlement in which Southwest will pay $140 million for its meltdown last year.
Early Friday, there were less than 40 flights cancelled nationwide in the U.S. and about 400 that were delayed, according to FlightAware.
Auto club AAA forecasts that 115 million people in the U.S. will go 50 miles or more from home between Saturday and New Year’s Day. That’s up 2% over last year.
The Transportation Security Administration expected to screen more than 2.5 million travelers Friday, the busiest projected day for air travel this season, along with New Year’s Day. That’s short of the record 2.9 million that agents screened on the Sunday after Thanksgiving, since travel tends to be more spread over over Christmas and New Year’s.
Travel has been strong this year even though many Americans say they are worried about the economy. Inflation has cooled off a bit, and travelers were helped by lower average gas prices and air fares.
The nationwide gas price average Friday was $3.13 a gallon, down 15 cents from a month ago and about 3 cents more than this time last year, according to AAA. Average fares in October were 13% lower than a year earlier, according to the government’s latest data.
The busiest days on the road will be Saturday and next Thursday, Dec. 28, according to transportation data provider INRIX.
Internationally, air travel has also rebounded, though it remains below pre-pandemic levels.
Airlines have sold 31% more tickets for international arrivals to global destinations between Dec. 21 and Dec. 31 compared to the similar period last year, according to travel data firm FowardKeys.
Some travelers in northern Europe had a run of bad luck with bad weather and labor unrest.
A storm brought heavy rain and strong winds across northern Europe overnight and into Friday, bringing down trees and prompting warnings of flooding on the North Sea coast.
Workers at the undersea tunnel between Britain and France held a surprise strike on Thursday, forcing the cancelation of passenger and vehicle-carrying service before an agreement with unions was reached.
Eurostar, which operates passenger train services from London to continental Europe, said services will resume Friday and it will run six extra trains between Paris and London into the weekend.
In the U.S., AccuWeather forecasters say rain storms could hit the Pacific Northwest and the southern Plains states including Texas later this week, but things look brighter for population centers — and key airports — in the Northeast. A Pacific storm pounded parts of Southern California on Thursday with heavy rain and street flooding.
