Passengers wait in line at John F. Kennedy International Airport after airlines reported multiple flight cancellations during the spread of the Omicron coronavirus variant on Christmas Eve in Queens, New York, May 24 12 year 2021.
Transport Secretary Pete Buttigieg urged airline executives on Thursday to ensure they can reliably fly their schedules this summer after increasing delays and cancellations this year, according to an acquaintance called.
The secretary asked airlines what steps they were taking to ensure that Memorial Day disruptions were not repeated over the weekend of July 4 and the rest of the summer, the person said. Buttigieg also pushes airlines to improve customer service so passengers can quick resetThis person said, describing the call as “productive and cooperative.”
Airlines have been grappling with routine disruptions like weather along with staff shortages and skyrocketing travel demand. JetBlue Airways, Delta Airlines, Spirit Airlines, Southwest Airlines and Alaska Airlines already shrink their spring and summer travel schedules to allow more space to deal with disruptions.
More than 7,100 U.S. flights have been delayed and nearly 1,600 flights canceled due to multiple thunderstorms to and from some of the country’s busiest airports, according to flight tracking website FlightAware. FlightAware flight tracker.
Thursday’s meeting comes after Sens. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and Edward Markey (D-Mass.) earlier this month wrote to US aviation industry group, Airlines for America, pressing for more information about disruptions at the end of this month. Memorial Day week.
“We appreciate the opportunity to meet with Transport Minister Buttigieg to discuss our shared commitment to prioritizing the safety and security of all travelers as they reunite with friends, family and colleagues this summer,” said Nick Calio, CEO of American Airlines representing major US carriers, in a statement.
Aviation operators sometimes blame air traffic control.
Last month, the Federal Aviation Administration called airlines to Florida for a meeting about recent flight disruptions in the state, where flights have been hit with obstacles including frequent thunderstorms, military exercises and launch into space, as well as a spike in demand.
The FAA, which joined the meeting on Thursday, said it would increase staffing at a key air traffic facility in Florida, among other measures.
