If you think there has been an uptick in flight delays and cancellations, you would be right. It’s a real and growing problem, one that our family encountered earlier this summer after our 40th anniversary celebration in Jamaica. Our son and his family endured an 8-hour delay due to an aircraft maintenance issue. The only reason they got out of Jamaica before Hurricane Beryl hit was the airline's decision to fly in an empty plane to evacuate them.
Airlines have faced a number of problems with the post-COVID resurgent interest in travel. The media has reported on the shortage of pilots, flight attendants, and air traffic controllers, but one shortage they haven't focused on is aircraft maintenance staffing. This shortage, perhaps more than any other, is responsible for the recent uptick in flight delays and cancellations. It's not that the airlines have planes that are old or in poor repair, they simply don't have enough skilled workers to keep up with the routine maintenance needs of their aggressive schedules.
The aircraft maintenance staffing shortage has been projected for years, yet it still hit the airlines hard after a large number of experienced technicians opted to retire during and after the COVID pandemic. The airline industry is finally attempting to address the problem with increased recruiting outreach, generous tuition assistance programs, and improved starting salaries, but experts estimate it will take a decade for the industry to catch up to the demand.
An aviation industry journal, Avionics International, recently published a piece on the subject. They reported that as “the demand for aviation maintenance technicians (AMTs) is rapidly rising…a long-feared AMT shortage has arrived and is not expected to get better anytime soon.” An industry expert cited in the article notes there is “a shortfall of somewhere between 12,000 and 18,000 aviation maintenance workers… the imbalance between supply and demand will persist and even worsen over the next 10 years. It is likely to result in fewer flights and (more) delays and cancellations, or airlines having to compensate by keeping more spare aircraft and parts on hand.”
I’m not holding my breath that airlines will keep more spare parts and planes on hand. That practice doesn’t fit their business model…in the era of “just in time” deliveries, they aren’t keen to spend money on “just in case” inventory.
Airplane maintenance issues are random...they can affect you no matter how carefully you plan. As travel advisors, Janet and I can’t fix the airline industry’s problems, but we can help you reduce the risk of them impacting your next vacation. Here are a few tips we offer our clients to avoid flight delays and cancellations, and for dealing with them when they happen despite our best efforts:
1. Forget about shopping for the cheapest flights or bargain airfare. Cheap flights usually require multiple connections with ridiculously short connection times, and that means a greater risk your bargain airfare will cost you your vacation.
2. Build flexibility into your trip by planning to arrive at least a day before the start of any cruise or tour you are joining. If you are flying internationally, plan to arrive two days ahead of time. We've advocated that practice for years, but it has become a necessity. Build it into your plan.
3. Book non-stop flights whenever possible. The more connections in your schedule, the greater the risk you’ll encounter a flight delay, missed connection, or cancellation.
4. Book the first flight of the day. It allows more time for the airline to get their act together and get you where you need to be before your cruise or tour departs.
5. Book with an airline that offers multiple daily departures from your location. That isn't always an option, but where it is...take advantage of it. If there is a problem with your flight, you will have alternatives for getting to your destination in time to connect with your cruise or tour. Airlines won’t automatically move you to another flight if yours is delayed. You’ll have to ask, and you may have to get insistent.
6. Check the “average delay” time for flights before you book and avoid flights that regularly arrive late. Apps like Google Flights and Flight Tracker are helpful in identifying flights that are routinely delayed.
7. Download your airline’s app to your phone. It is the best way to stay informed about flight cancellations and delays, and to deal with schedule interruptions when they occur.
8. Don’t make critical appointments for the day or two after your scheduled return home. The last thing you want after vacation is the stress of flight delays or cancellations that might cause you to miss an important event.
9. Read the terms and conditions from your travel suppliers…know what they do and don’t agree to do for you if your plans get messed up by the airlines. It used to be airlines would book you on the next scheduled flight out, even if it meant booking you with another airline. That rarely happens now. Even though airlines agree to book you on their next “available” flight, that doesn't mean their next scheduled flight. It means the next flight with have open seats in the same fare category you’ve purchased. That can be several days after your original scheduled departure.
10. Inform your travel agent anytime you encounter a flight delay or cancellation. Your airline will probably rebook you automatically, but it will be on flights they pick. We can help you determine if there are alternatives that better fit your needs. We can also notify your transfer driver, hotel, cruise line, or tour operator so you avoid no-show penalties or follow-on plans automatically cancelling out as you wait for another flight.
11. Purchase trip insurance. If your flight is cancelled or you miss a connection and it is due to maintenance problems, the airline is required to provide you with meals and if you end up waiting overnight, a hotel. They aren’t required to cover all the incidental expenses you may incur. Trip insurance can make sure the airlines' maintenance problems don’t cost you money. Be sure to get and keep receipts for all reasonable expenses…you’ll need them to file your claim.
12. Make sure you have “catch up” protection, either through your travel supplier or your trip insurance. Airlines won’t cover the cost for you to catch up to your cruise ship or tour group at the next port or stop, even when the delay is their fault. And that can get expensive. Booking your air through the cruise line or tour operator is also not a guarantee they will cover catch up costs…read the fine print. Trip insurance will usually cover catch-up costs when the suppliers don’t, but it depends on the details of your policy so read it thoroughly before you purchase to ensure you are covered.
To be fair, flight delays and cancellations are still the exception...most flights depart and arrive on time. But as travel advisors, Janet and I have noted an increase in the number of our clients experiencing problems with their flights. The days of booking flights for “just in time” arrival are over. You must build in time for delays because they are only going to increase as airlines struggle to cope with their maintenance staffing shortages. Careful planning can allow you to absorb a flight delay or cancellation without ruining your vacation, and we’ll help you with that.
Comments