“Flying might not be all plain sailing, but the fun of it is worth the price.” – Amelia Earhart

Introduction:

I recently read an article on CNN that got me thinking and researching. In my brain, all the delayed and canceled flights and lost bags were still part of recovering from Covid. I now understand that’s not the issue.  

The Control Towers at US Airports are Out of Date 

Nowadays, all the problems with flying are actually from infrastructure problems that have been building for the last 20 years. The US government has chosen not to put emphasis on the upgrading of the computer and technology systems of the Federal Aviation Administration in the federal budget. Thus, many of the control towers at American airports are trying to land our planes using antiquated equipment that simply can’t do the job that we need them to do. Some airports are using computers that are 40 years old. Airports notify airlines daily of the necessity to reduce flights. Some of the major airports, like JFK, are asking airlines for as much as a 40% cancelation of planes. 

 Added to the Problem are the Employment Issues at the FAA 

The FAA requires that flight controllers retire at the age of 55. New fly controllers have a three-year training period before they can go solo. Finally, in the last 15 years, the FAA has not met its annual hiring quota. Therefore, the number of new controllers is not keeping pace with the number of controllers that are aging out. 

Airlines are also to Blame for all the Problems with Flying 

Airline pilots must retire at the age of 65. The FAA also requires 7000 hours of flight time as a copilot so a new hire can become a pilot.  Over the last 20 years, airlines have cut pilots during every financial downturn and have not put an emphasis on hiring new pilots during financially good times. During Covid, airlines pushed huge retirement packages to many pilots to keep their costs down.   

We are Now in the Perfect Storm 

People are traveling at 100% or more of the pre-Covid capacity.  Airlines have critically low numbers of pilots.  Airport control towers and logistics are struggling on a daily basis to keep up with demand. 

This is not a problem only in the US; most major European airports have the same problem.  The airport in Amsterdam has installed tents out front to queue people waiting due to flight issues.  

When is the Flying Experience Going to Get Better? 

The short answer is not for years.  Since the issues with the airlines and airports are such intrinsic problems, they are going to take time and large amounts of money being spent by governments and airlines to fix.  

 What are our options as passengers? 

1. Quit flying?  For me I need to travel, thus not really an option. 

2. Change my expectations of the flying experience, reducing my stress. 

3. Be prepared and pack my carry-on, expecting there to be issues. Making me more comfortable during delays and canceled flights 

4. Having travel insurance. Removing the financial burden caused by the current state of air travel on me. 

Let me know how you are adjusting to the craziness of flying.  Let’s share tips to make everyone’s experience a little better. 

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