Tue, Oct 21, 2008
Capacity Cuts Will Mean Packed Planes Over Holiday Season
US domestic airlines have said often
over the past year that returning to profitability will mean
cutting flights which cater to leisure and vacation travelers. It's
now becoming clear what that will mean for those seeking tickets to
spend the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday with loved ones.
USA Today reports the airlines will drop an average of almost
3,000 domestic flights per day during the 11-day period from
November 20 through November 30. That works out to 11 percent fewer
flights, and 2.6 million fewer seats, than the same period a year
ago.
The paper obtained the figures through the Official Airline
Guide, which compiles schedule information provided by airlines.
Some of the most startling cutbacks affect Thanksgiving Day itself
when, compared to last year, US Airways has cut flights by 40
percent, Delta by 26 percent, and United by 22 percent.
If you're reading this, chances are capacity cuts are not news
to you. But for millions of would-be holiday travelers who don't
follow industry news, bookings for the upcoming holidays will be
their first encounter with the new airline reality.
USA Today reports hundreds of routes have lost a quarter or more
of the flights they had last Thanksgiving, and some smaller cities
have lost most or all of their scheduled airline service since last
year.
But...there's always a silver lining. For reasonably
well-positioned companies, a recession means opportunities.
JetBlue and Southwest are two airlines looking to increase
market share at the expense of their competitors. JetBlue says it
will operate three percent more flights this Thanksgiving season
than last, and Southwest has announced 15 added flights to cope
with demand.
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