As the holiday season progresses, AAA predicts a bustling atmosphere with over 115 million people planning their trips for Christmas and New Year's celebrations. This marks the second-highest year-end holiday travel forecast since AAA initiated its tracking procedures 23 years ago. However, the forecasted travel activities could be thwarted by an impending potent storm that is currently building up in force.
As we speak, Florida has started experiencing the storm's preliminary impacts, with predictions indicating that the storm may pave its way up the east coast carrying along heavy rainfall, whipping winds, and potential sea hazards. Even though this weather disruption could result in travel complications and power outages, forecasters assure that there's no expectation of a significant snowstorm.
With regard to the estimated 115 million travelers, airlines are arranging for an average of nearly 3 million passengers daily, reminiscent of the seamless travel during the past Thanksgiving holiday. American Airlines, majorly considered the nation's largest airline, anticipates this Friday to witness the peak of the season and is organizing its services to cater to over 12 million passengers.
Despite the disruptions experienced in the previous year, airlines are claiming a positive outlook this year as they are better equipped to handle potential complications. This state of preparedness includes hiring required pilots and the reinstatement of previously out-of-service planes. However, concerns remain over the shortage of air traffic controllers.
Travelers are advised to stay alert, keeping an eye on the weather at their destination and home airports. Early arrivals at airports are often beneficial due to the expected large crowds, even in priority lanes such as pre-check and clear lanes. Airlines also recommend having their app installed on passengers' phones for tracking flights and enabling swift rebooking in case of cancellations.
For longtime travelers, the holiday travel period seems extended than it used to be, indicating a reflection of remote work flexibility and other factors. This increased duration assists airlines in staggering flight schedules and peak times, leading to an even-handed distribution of passengers.
With staffing issues and air traffic controller shortages brought to light, it remains to be seen how these developments will affect passengers' travel experiences this holiday season. The collective focus now is to improve upon last year's difficulties and work towards a smoother holiday travel period.
