Travel

Fighting Flight Reductions

By David Armstrong, Aviation.com Columnist

posted: 06 June 2008 ET


: As U.S. and other countries' airlines scramble to cut capacity as a result of soaring oil prices, desert airfields such as Mojave Airport are likely to fill up with row upon row of jets, sent into storage by their operators. Meanwhile, passengers will find flying becoming a more difficult, expensive and frustrating experience. Credit: Alan Radecki, under GFDL License

It’s going to get worse before it gets better. Flying, that is, especially flying domestically on U.S. carriers.

The news about air travel is a cavalcade of woe. Hammered by historically high prices of fuel, airlines are cutting flights, shedding staff, raising fares and slapping on new fees. All told, U.S. carriers are reducing the number of seats by 10 percent — and that’s just the cutbacks they’ve announced so far. When the peak summer travel season ends, there will be more cutbacks and more planes parked in the desert.

For travelers, the new world of air travel will require Houdini-like flexibility and ingenuity. There’s no way to be completely prepared, as money-losing U.S. airlines are — if you’ll excuse the expression — flying by the seat of their pants. They’re not sure about all the details of downsizing.

In a situation this fluid, the best piece of advice for people planning to fly is this: Don’t.

Consider driving, instead, especially if yours is a trip of 500 miles or less. Sure, there’s pain at the pump with $4 gasoline, but you can shove off for your destination when you want, stop when you want and avoid the hassles of inconsistent airport security.

Or, take the train. The United States once had one of the finest rail systems in the world. That’s no longer the case, but Amtrak is a viable alternative for short- and medium-haul trips, especially in the bustling Northeast corridor and on the West Coast. Besides, maybe rising consumer demand can help revive this "green," relaxing mode of travel and create a market for good high-speed rail, like they have in Japan.

If you must fly, there are a few things to keep in mind:

● Keep in touch with your airline. You need to know if your flight times have changed, if your non-stop has morphed into a connecting flight, and even if the flight you booked months ago exists any more. This is especially true if you are flying to or from a small-market airport, as small towns are looking at dwindling air service, or even no air service at all.

● Airlines are getting better about contacting their customers about flight changes — well, premium customers anyway — but with fewer staffers and cascading changes, don’t count on the airlines to contact you. Contact them.

● Fares are shooting skyward as low-cost carriers such as Aloha and ATA and business-class niche players like MaxJet and Eos fold. Even profitable Southwest is slowing down. Consider consulting a travel agent. If you book online, get familiar with Internet resources such as Airfarewatchdog.com and farecompare.com, which employ full-time pros to stay abreast of constantly changing fares and tip you to any deals out there.

● Expect international travel to be affected, too. At the downbeat annual meeting of the International Air Transport Association in Istanbul this week, airline CEOs such as British Airways’ Willie Walsh and Cathay Pacific's Tony Tyler bluntly said there will be cutbacks on their airlines’ long-haul routes. Even successful foreign carriers are watching every pound, yen and euro. We’ll know the details this fall.