As the summer peak concludes and we look at holiday trips, we know very little for sure. Still, a few trends seem to have emerged.
Perhaps the best news is that the summer airfare peak seems to be gone. I’m seeing some good deals on offer, both domestic and international. As always, regular checks of Google flights or some metasearch system you like will usually locate those good deals.
But don’t expect the epidemic of delays and cancellations to ease any time soon. Airlines, airports, and the FAA continue to blame each other for the mess, but blame doesn’t help solve the problem. By all means travel when you wish, but recognize the ongoing risks of disruptions to the best-laid plans. And if there is a government shutdown in the next few months, either cancel your plans or be prepared for big trouble.
- Norse Atlantic to London/Gatwick from Los Angeles, Orlando, and Paris/Orly from New York/JFK.
- French Bee to Paris from Los Angeles, Newark, and San Francisco—but beware of its ultra-narrow economy seats.
Beyond airfares, European travel is experiencing some of the same problems that plague U.S. travel: capacity limits at key airports, understaffed traffic control, and rail strikes. The U.S. has no monopolies on delays and cancellations. And a big new problem has arisen: bedbugs. Apparently, starting in Paris, the plague of unwelcome critters is quickly spreading around the continent, affecting even top-level hotels, as well as budget spots.
The European Union is considering a rule that would prohibit airlines from charging extra for standard-size carry-on baggage. The EC is generally more favorable to consumers than the U.S. government, so this might actually happen. And it’s hard to see how the idea couldn’t spread to other regions—and maybe even cross the Atlantic. So far, nothing has happened, but it’s possible.
As to U.S. consumer protections, what’s happening is nothing’s actually happening. With the near-meltdown in Congress (a more apt description starts with “cluster”), the several proposals in the FAA reauthorization bill—both pro-consumer and anti-consumer—are in limbo. That means no government action on family seating, mandatory delay compensation, seat size testing, or the full-fare advertising rule, and other issues.
Bills have been introduced to mandate full-cost advertising in hotel rates and to set compensation for travelers denied a reserved rental car, but I haven’t seen either surface for a long time and I suspect both are dead.
Meanwhile, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), which theoretically regulates all consumer advertising except for airlines, has apparently heard President Biden’s call to end junk fees and is taking its usual approach of studying the problem rather than doing anything about it. The Department of Transportation is also considering some new rules. Departments can issue rules without action by Congress, so maybe something will actually happen. “Maybe.” You hear that a lot these days.
