I feel like a broken record lately - because I'm saying the same thing over and over again to clients - but I feel like no matter how much I stress this it's still coming as a surprise when it happens to a client. The travel and tourism industry - and the airline industry - have not recovered from COVID. It's going to take YEARS to get the service levels back up to what people are used to. The airlines ARE. A. MESS. I'm hearing it from every facet of the industry - and I'm seeing it in real time every day. This summer is particularly rough because there is so much travel happening - and the airline industry can't handle it yet the way you'd like them to be able to.
Here are tips and info you need to know about air travel if you're traveling in the next few months:
Don't fly if you don't have to! If you can stomach the drive - do it. I can't tell you how many people are driving anyway because their flights were cancelled. You may as well plan and pack for a road trip and try your best to enjoy that extra time with the family. Eventually you'll look back at the time your kid puked in the car on the way to Florida and laugh. (That one may just be me).
If You Have To Fly - Read This List
Download the airline apps and USE THEM! You can do almost anything you need to on the app these days - and with skeleton crews at airports if you can avoid waiting to speak to someone - it's easier. In addition - the apps are even sometimes alerting consumers (and travel agents) before the flight crew even knows the flight is cancelled.
Schedule your flight for DAYS earlier than you need to be somewhere if the timing is important. People are missing: graduations, weddings, cruise departures, connections, etc. You're going to be miserable if you miss these things. Pre-Covid when there were cancellations, delays, etc. I could often step in and help. These days? There's NOTHING I can do - and there's nothing the airline workers can do. The only thing you can do is book an early departure - so if you get delayed you have a cushion to get there.
Book the EARLIEST flight in the day that you can. Even if you have to get up before dawn, put a sleeping baby in the car, and guzzle coffee like never before. Morning flights don't cancel as often and you have the whole day to potentially get on a flight if you need it. Also - summer in thunderstorm season - and storms tend to build throughout the day, and planes don't fly through them. With the way things are now - these storms have longer lasting repercussions.
Avoid connections if at all possible. Yes, it's more expensive. Yes, if there's any way at ALL to make it work - it's worth it. If you MUST have a layover - I am recommending a 3 hour window. I know you used to be able to run and make that 45 minute layover. I know the airline may say it's a legal connection, but I'm here to tell you - there's a good chance you're not going to make that connection
Airlines are short staffed - from pilots to flight attendants to ground crews. Remember - the ground crews are needed for everything that happens on the jetway - getting the luggage on and off the plan, scanning boarding passes, take offs, landings, etc. These shortages are causing delays that build throughout the day. When flight crews are delayed - they time out. This not a preference - this is a legal issue. Just so you know - they're not timing out after working an 8 hour day. They are timing out after 16 hours. It doesn't matter if they want to keep working to get to where they were going or not. If they time out that's it. Pre-Covid there were back up crews - sometimes many. Right now? Not so much. So when they time out - the flight will cancel.
Listen to your friendly travel agent regarding ticket purchasing recommendations - flights are full. If you want to sit with your family - pay extra for the seats in advance! It's how the airlines work these days. Also, airlines know if you purchased your tickets on a cheap website to try to save $50. They will bump those people first.
I always recommend trip protection - we can discuss more about it, but seriously - with all of these delays and cancellations!?
Last - PLEASE be nice to the flight attendants, baggage handlers, travel agents, the bartenders at the resorts, transfer company drivers, etc. I could write a blog post on each and every facet of this industry and what we're all facing these days. We WANT to help you, we're all trying our very best to help you. There is a good deal that is out of our control. Everyone involved in the airlines are overworked and exhausted. They will help you if they can - as long as you're nice to them!
Questions? Thoughts? Anything I'm leaving out? Let me know!
Looking for more travel tips? You can check out related blog posts below:
For in-travel tips - check out our blog post: "What Should I Do If...?"
In need of some pre-travel tips? Read our to-do list here: What To Do Before Traveling Internationally.
Looking for some pre-travel luggage info? Check out our: What You Should Know About Luggage.
Looking for day of travel tips? We have our thoughts here: "Travel Day is Here!"
And jet lag tips are here: Is There Anything I can Do About Jet Lag?
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