U.S. Airlines Shouldn’t Enter the Blame Game Fray Over Travel’s Summer of Chaos
Skift Take
This is going to be a tough summer for U.S. airlines. They are scheduling more flights than the system can handle as passengers show a near insatiable appetite for tickets. The last thing they need to be doing is joining the pass-the-buck club between airports and governments.
In recent weeks, many airlines in Europe and the United States have failed their customers, selling itineraries they can't fulfill. Airlines have run a quasi-normal schedule despite far from normal conditions, and passengers have been treated to cancelled flights and delayed bags.
You might think airlines and their representatives would take ownership of their miscues. Or at least tell them that they're aware of the issues, as they try to solve them. Some have, but many others have played the blame game. They pass the buck onto air traffic control, airport operators, governments, and the ultimate boogey man, weather.
It's time to stop the blame. Yes, when the air travel system falters, people want answers for why their summer vacation is ruined. But this is different. Airlines have gone from the worst demand in their history to the strongest. The system isn't designed for such swings, and it's succumbing under pressure.
This summer's meltdowns are bei