Flightmare ahead? All signs point to a crazy, record-breaking crush of summer travel

Hard to believe it’s nearly Memorial Day, the traditional kickoff for summer travel. And it looks like this year we’ll be kicking off another season of our new norm: chaos.

New Covid surges and higher prices be damned. Travel tracking groups predict summer travel could break pre-pandemic records set in 2019. And that’s creating major stress across the labor-strapped travel sector.

In the skies, many predict a “flightmare." “Too few pilots. Not enough flights. Jammed planes and higher fuel costs.” That’s how Bloomberg’s Mary Schlangenstein summed it up this week. While carriers say they’ve taken steps that leave them well prepared to cope with any hiccups, she reports early signs aren’t great. We agree and have seen the evidence ourselves. Already this year, the rate of flight cancellations is six times what the airlines target, Schlangenstein reports. And the fact that airlines are looking to reduce long-standing requirements like degree and minimum flight-hour requirements to get more pilots flying tells us labor issues could become the standard, rather than exception.

Please hold. Your wait time will be ... long and painful. Staffing issues, pricing and availability are also creating major headaches for travel advisors, as our good friend Jamie Biesiada from Travel Weekly reports. In a TW poll that asked advisors – many of whom say they are busier than ever – to identify the biggest challenges on their path forward, one simply responded, “Everything.” Advisors are waiting on hold, often for hours at a time, to speak with tour operators, cruise lines, airlines and other travel supplier representatives. When they finally do reach a human, advisors say those representatives are often green. Among the descriptors for the phrase “long hold lines” offered by poll respondents: “frustrating,” “ridiculous,” “enormous” and “excessive.” And since advisors generally have a better inside line to travel suppliers than Joe Six-Pack, we’d say that doesn’t bode well for do-it-yourself travelers who run into problems this summer!

Air rage 2.0?: Despite the lifting of mask mandates that were blamed for an alarming pandemic-era surge in mile-high fisticuffs, this video of an altercation in Newark Liberty International Airport reminds us that air and airport rage continue to be threats. The good news is the Transportation Security Administration says it is working hard to combat altercations and keep security lines moving. During a recent budget hearing before Congress, TSA Administrator David Pekoske testified the agency trained almost 1,500 flight crew members in self defense last year. Pekoske said TSA has also partnered with the Federal Aviation Administration to rescind TSA PreCheck eligibility for passengers who are disruptive aboard flights or during security screening and is hiring and training hundreds of new agents.

Where to escape? Try one of these new lounges

All this chaos makes us want to seek refuge. Fortunately, airlines and some credit card companies continue to open bigger and better lounges.

With views of the Big Apple’s iconic skyline, United Airlines last week unveiled its newest and largest club at Newark Liberty International Airport. We can’t think of any airport (OK, maybe LaGuardia) that needed it more. The new retreat has 30,000 square feet, 486 seats, six showers with Sunday Riley toiletries, and a cafe staffed with a barista. Find it in Terminal C3 near gate C123. Over time, the club’s design and color scheme will be adopted into existing clubs as United refurbishes them and future clubs, when and if United adds them, the airline says.

Last week, Jeri got a quick peek of the Delta Sky Club in Salt Lake City’s new airport. And wow, what a difference from the crowded corner the airline used to have. High ceilings, glass walls and multiple seating options, Delta Air Lines finally gets the lounge space it needs for what has become its second biggest hub after Atlanta. At 28,000 square feet, it’s only 2,000 square feet shy of Delta’s long-awaited new lounge at LAX. The only drawback? It’s hardly centrally located, at least for the sections of the still-being-built airport that are currently open. And the new airport’s underground tunnel to offer quicker movement between terminals isn’t finished. So give yourself plenty of time. When Jeri checked into the lounge they told her she was 20 minutes from my gate. But that proved to be 20 minutes of pure hustle by an already faster-than-normal walker. And walking was the only option, save calling for special assistance. Still, we’d take the laid-back Salt Lake City and its old or new airports any day over other major hubs. And SLC might be Delta’s best kept secret for travelers in the West, with international nonstops to Amsterdam, Cancun, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico City, Guadalajara and a host of nonstops to the East Coast.

In other news this week:

• The Centers for Disease Control issued yet more guidance for traveling with Covid, recommending now that travelers get tested before flying domestic, AFAR.com reports. Based on the number of people following its voluntary recommendation to stay masked up while traveling, we don’t expect that to really happen. We guestimate just 25% or fewer passengers and crew on Jeri’s flights back from Alaska last week were masked. And the numbers seem to be dropping every time we board a plane.

• While the CDC is only “recommending” testing for domestic travel, the administration appears to be standing strong on its hard line stance against easing its mandatory test requirement for inbound international travelers. Here’s the latest update from The New York Times.

• And in the “it’s about time” department, United next month will resume hot meal and spirit service in premium cabins. The airlines says that on June 1 it will bring back meal trays in domestic first class on flights longer than 800 miles. United’s full-service rivals Alaska, American, Delta and JetBlue already resumed domestic hot-meal service, according to Travel Weekly. Gone will be the plastic-wrapped sandwiches United had been serving during the pandemic. Also starting June 1, Polaris business class customers on long-haul international flights will see a return of linens and multi-course meals vs. the covered-and-all-at-once approach. Perhaps most importantly, the airline will once again offer spirits to customers in international premium economy and economy, who have only been getting beer and wine.

“Should I stay or should I go…..”

By Stephanie Mehl

Never have these song lyrics rung truer as we contemplate our travel plans for the summer amidst yet another Covid surge.

Like many of us, I went full-out planning a much-needed summer vacation after not traveling abroad for so long. A glorious five-week trip to Greece as a retirement gift to myself was set in motion (yes, I did say five weeks)! Feeling like Covid was somewhat behind us, I did a deep dive into exploring areas of Greece, the hundreds of islands, hotels, cars and restaurants.

My tail has been wagging in anticipation for months. Though, knowing anything could happen, I double checked my credit card to assure I had cancellation insurance and bought medical insurance in the event I get sick (or have an accident) in Europe.

Now, exactly two weeks before our scheduled flight, learning that at least 50% of my friends have tested positive, I am certainly getting anxious. Not so much about getting Covid, but in all honesty, thinking about the possibility of getting it a few days before take off.

Do I get another booster? Should I isolate with my husband in our house for the next two weeks? Should I expose myself tonight at a large charity dinner event I have tickets for? Do I go and just not take off my mask and forego dinner? Do I ask my husband to stay home, cutting our risk in half? Or do I even go to Greece at this point with the growing worry and constant changes? Even testing requirements before arriving in countries are hard to make sense of.

One thing is clear: If we want to travel, we need to learn to live with uncertainty, as stressful as it may be. Have a plan B. Do your best to protect yourself. Lower your expectations. After all, travel is not the same as it was pre-Covid. Anticipate changes, expect delays and understand we will all likely be interfacing with new staff learning their job along the way.

Despite the easing of pandemic restrictions, most people I talked to are moving forward with their vacation plans abroad, despite the rise in cases. I did learn of a woman who was hoping to get the virus – well timed – before her trip to Italy. She did, and now finds herself relaxed and confident that three weeks from now she’ll be clear for boarding. (Fingers crossed!)

If you’re looking for expert advice on whether to stay or go, good luck. Confusion abounds. And we all know, rules and guidance about traveling in the pandemic can change on a dime.

Dog days of summer (travel)

More than 23 million American households added a dog or cat during the pandemic, the @ASPCA says. And that has us wondering where they’ll be spending summer vacation.

We love our dogs. But traveling with them is downright stressful. We’d love to hear your pup travel trails and any hacks for making it easier to take them along on our summer adventures. Email us at [email protected].