Registered domestic air carriers $1.6 billion in net profit last year, compared to a loss of $2.8 billion in 2021 according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Ahead of the busiest travel season, here are 2023 updates that could impact travelers planning to fly this summer.
1. Increase in theft
Many aircraft carriers are adding additional flights and operating larger aircraft to handle the influx of passengers expected for summer 2023. U.S. airlines plan to operate more than 2 million flights between Memorial weekend and Labor Day, which is an increase of about 86,000 over last year's numbers. according to Cirium. After airline staffing levels declined in 2021, executives noted that most airlines are now fully staffed and newer hires have more experience, which should help operations run smoothly. easier.
The FAA also recently announced plans to add 169 airline routes along the East Coast. The new routes are designed to provide more direct paths to destinations and reduce traffic congestion during the summer season. The FAA estimates this will save 6,000 minutes of travel time and reduce the number of miles traveled by 40,000 per year.
“American has long been a proponent of opening additional high-altitude routes along the East Coast and we are optimistic that they will provide significant benefits to our customers and team members,” said David Seymour, director of American Airlines operations, regarding the new routes.
2. Anticipated delays
Despite the additional flights, some union groups representing flight attendants and pilots at several major carriers have yet to reach new contracts with their employees. Some of these airlines include American Airlines, Southwest Airlines and United Airlines. Summer 2023 travelers could also face increased flight prices due to increases in airlines' two main costs: labor and fuel. According to Bob Harrell of Harrell Associatesfound that the average leisure rate was 65% higher in March 2023 than the same month in 2019.
“It's going to be an eventful summer,” said aviation analyst Henry Harteveldt, president of Atmospheric Research Group. “Even though airlines have done a very good job hiring new employees to meet the demand they will experience this summer, they may not have hired everyone they need.”
3. Decrease in flights in New York
In March 2023, the Federal Aviation Administration was particularly outspoken about staffing shortages at a key air traffic control facility in New York. Radar approach control at the New York terminal has about 54 percent of the personnel it needs to manage traffic in the nation's busiest airspace. Between the staff shortage and the expected 7 percent increase in air traffic in New York this summer, the agency estimated an increase in delays of 45 percent. Many airlines have agreed to reduce flights to New York, including American, Delta Air Lines, JetBlue Airways and United. If you're an international or domestic traveler and hoping to visit the “Big Apple” this summer, it may be worth flying into a surrounding city and driving or busing there.
“I hope this means that the remaining flights will be more likely to be operated on time,” Harteveldt said. “In the event of bad weather, we hope that the disruptions will not be as severe and that recovery will be quicker.”
4. Expected increase in international travel
Although domestic travel has fueled much of the aviation industry's recovery in 2021 and 2022, international travel is expected to increase significantly in 2023. According to Delta CEO Ed Bastian, 75% of their international flights for Summer 2023 were already booked last month. Furthermore, according to data from Airline Reporting Company. (ARC), tickets purchased for Amsterdam increased by 130 percent, tickets purchased for Paris increased by 66 percent and tickets purchased for Madrid increased by 70 percent compared to last year.
