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 Travel & Outdoors | May 2007 
Traveling on Memorial Day? Join the Crowd
 Trebor Banstetter - Star-Telegram
| | Busy airports and full flights likely to be the norm again. |
Travelers can expect another summer of crowded airports and full flights this year, although they might get a break when it comes to ticket prices.
Several reports released Thursday predict a busy summer travel season, which kicks off on Memorial Day weekend. AAA predicts that about 4.4 million people will travel by airplane over the weekend, up about 1 percent from last year. And a survey from the Travel Industry Association predicts that air travel will be up about 3 percent during the summer.
"The two key factors [travelers] consider are avoiding crowds and finding the best deals," said Chris McGinnis, editor of Expedia Travel Trendwatch, a newsletter published by the Internet travel firm.
But the higher demand probably won't mean higher fares, or at least not by much, according to the reports. AAA predicts that airfares will be about 5 percent cheaper over Memorial Day weekend than a year ago. And increases over the summer are unlikely to match those of the 2006 travel season, when average ticket prices rose about 10 percent, according to Expedia.
The airlines have had difficulty raising fares this year after two years of steady price increases. Executives with some carriers, including Dallas-based Southwest Airlines, have warned that revenue from domestic travel could be soft this year.
Some aviation experts have warned that crowded flights this summer could mean a jump in delays and cancellations, especially during bad weather. It could be a repeat of several winter storms that caused thousands of cancellations earlier this year and, in a few cases, stranded passengers in airplane cabins for hours after their flights were diverted.
"Things will be fairly crowded, which means the airlines will have a very limited ability to recover quickly from any type of disruption, like thunderstorms and tornadoes," said Ron Kuhlmann, an aviation consultant with Unisys. "You just don't have a lot of available seats" for passengers on canceled flights.
The increased travel isn't limited to the skies. AAA said that more people will travel by car this Memorial Day weekend as well despite higher gas prices. About 38 million people will travel by car, up nearly 2 percent compared with last year.
Summer travel tips
Give yourself time. Expect long lines at security checkpoints and ticket counters. You can save time by checking in online at home, or at electronic kiosks at the airport.
Expect delays. Take advantage of airline programs that will notify you by pager or e-mail of your flight's status, and always check before heading to the airport.
Prepare for the worst. Are you ready to spend four hours or more stuck on the tarmac if your flight is diverted? Be prepared, particularly if traveling with children.
Forget Maui! Consider the road less traveled, which could mean smaller crowds, an easier trip, and more frequent-flier availability. Expedia suggests substituting Quebec City for Paris; Tulum, Mexico, for Cancun; and Punta Cana, in the Dominican Republic, instead of Hawaii.
Trebor Banstetter, 817-390-7064 or tbanstetter@star-telegram.com |
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