Transportation

Once finalized, the JetBlue-Spirit Airlines merger may mean improved service for the ultra-low-cost carrier

Images of queues, huge piles of luggage and even pilots loading their planes with cargo have plagued the media throughout the world. Airports have been in chaos for months as they have attempted to re-emerge from the Covid-19 pandemic, with Europe, the UK and the USA all having suffered the worst of the effects so far. Flight cancelations have played havoc with business travellers and holiday makers alike, and the problem only appears to be getting worse as a whole raft of flights have recently been cancelled in the UK. All this begs the question, Why are things so bad right now and how do we fix the situation? So this week on the inquiry we ask, Will air travel ever return to normal?

Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) recently reported over 400 COVID-19 cases among American and Southwest Airlines employees as well as Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers. Yet, no one seems concerned, since no services were disrupted at either the security checkpoints or with the airlines. Is this a reasonable and appropriate response? 

In reviewing the epidemic of delayed and cancelled flights, luggage not showing up for arriving passengers, and huge crowds overwhelming staff at major European airports, I’m reminded of the fable of the blind men and the elephant. Each felt a different part of the pachyderm and concluded it was something different (a rope, a tree trunk, etc.).

Airports and airlines around the world are struggling to keep up as people begin to travel again in earnest after more than two years of the coronavirus pandemic - but are some travel hubs worse than others?

In many ways, the emerging advanced air mobility market hopes to operate much like today’s commercial airlines: hundreds of passengers traveling every day aboard dozens of small, electric aircraft. But if this rapid, frequent service is to be achieved, the vertiports from which these air taxis would take off and land must have a lower level of security than today’s airports, according to industry experts. 

Airline executives and travel industry leaders have asked the Biden administration to end mandatory COVID-19 testing for passengers on inbound international flights. They cite the impact that mandatory testing has had on the travel industry and the economy, discouraging people from abroad to fly into the United States. Although their request has merit, the reasons that they offer do not. 

The Transportation Security Administration employs multiple layers to provide a secure air system for travelers. Technologies like millimeter wave advanced imaging scanners for passenger screening and computerized tomography explosive-detection systems for checked baggage screening are some of the key devices deployed at airports. Anytime a new technology is introduced, it should provide benefits that enhance air system security and improve the passenger experience, such as in the form of reduced waiting times.

The 2022 JD Power’s American Airline Satisfaction survey results are out, and the news for many airlines is not good. Jet Blue and Southwest topped the list, while legacy airlines like American and United were near the bottom across the three categories of passengers surveyed (economy, premium economy and first/business). 

On April 18, a federal court judge ended the federal transportation face mask mandate, deeming it an overstep of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention authority. Almost immediately, airlines responded by making face masks on flights optional. The White House continues to urge travelers on all modes of transportation (air, rail and public transit) to continue to wear face masks to reduce virus transmission, particularly for those most vulnerable to developing a serious case of COVID-19.