The share of US flight delays caused by airlines, as opposed to weather or air traffic control, has surged to the highest level on record, reflecting carriers’ struggle in the post-Covid rebound.
Through April, airlines triggered about 58% of late flights so far in 2022, surpassing those that were tardy due to storms, the government’s air-traffic system and security glitches, according to data reviewed by Bloomberg News.
Airlines acknowledge struggling with a “Covid hangover” as demand for travel surged and they attempted to bring on and retrain employees to replace those who had gone on leave or left. But they say they have no incentive to delay flights, and that factors such as bad weather and similar issues with the nation’s air-traffic system have also contributed.
