NEW YORK – The holiday travel rush peaked Friday, as mild weather and lower flight cancellation rates raised hopes that drivers and airline passengers would be happier than last year.
U.S. airlines are anticipating a blockbuster holiday season and have projected confidence that they will be able to cope with the crowds as they hire thousands of pilots, flight attendants and other workers, trying to avoid the delays and suspensions that marred travel this year. past and culminated in the Southwest Airlines debacle, which left more than 2 million people stranded.
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 that the government will hold airlines accountable to operate smoothly and treat passengers well if disruptions occur. Earlier this week, the Department of Transportation announced a settlement in which Southwest will pay $140 million for its collapse last year.
As of midday Friday, fewer than 50 flights in the United States had been canceled, and about 1,200 were delayed, according to FlightAware.
The American Automobile Association (AAA) predicts that 115 million people in the United States will travel 80 kilometers (50 miles) or more from home between Saturday and New Year’s Day. This is 2% more than last year. The busiest days on the roads will be Saturday and next Thursday, December 28, according to transportation data provider INRIX.
The Transportation Security Administration screened more than 2.6 million passengers on Thursday, one of the busiest days along with Friday and New Year’s Day. That’s down from the record 2.9 million that agents reviewed on the Sunday after Thanksgiving, as travel tends to be more spread out over Christmas and New Year’s.
Source: With information from AP
