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.

FMI: www.jetblue.com, www.southwest.com