Air aviation news- With Thanksgiving air travel running relatively smoothly, U.S. airlines and airports are set to deliver stress-free holiday air travel into the new year. That is, if the weather cooperates. The U.S. airline industry has largely recovered from the messy summer, which saw significant flight disruptions largely due to weather.
North America had the worst global on-time performance in June, with an average airline on-time performance of 50.8%, according to aviation data analytics firm OAG. But despite summer vacation woes, OAG predicts travelers have a 90% chance of arriving to their destination on time for the holiday celebrations.
Other factors aggravated weather delays this summer. Airlines and airports were still adapting to Covid-19 recovery and ramping-up operations while facing staff shortages and stretched aviation infrastructure.
Hiring qualified staff and fixing aviation infrastructure is a long process, but it has begun.
In a news conference ahead of Thanksgiving, U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg announced plans to address the infrastructural challenges ahead of the holidays. The government will hire more air traffic controllers, open new air routes along the East Coast, allow commercial airlines priority over private jets on departure during periods of weather disruption and congestion, and grant airports funding for snowplows and deicing equipment.
“Mother Nature, of course, is the X factor in all of this,” Buttigieg said.
Holidays Off To A Record Start
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