USA TODAY has a very good read which highlights what to expect in the next year regarding flight schedules. It’s not pretty, especially for those of you who travel out of non-hub cities. Some tiny airports will lose the majority of their air service as smaller carriers such as Mesa Airlines fall victim to the high fuel prices (currently @$130/barrel). Regional jets, a popular choice for smaller cities and shorter routes are no longer profitable at these oil prices so many airlines are planning to ground these types of planes.
The fall-out for travelers:
- Higher fare prices as reduced competition allows airlines to raise prices on less profitable segments
- Higher travel times in the form of less non-stop flights and more required connections
- More crowded planes as people squeeze into the available flight schedules
- Less flexibility in travel times and dates, especially for vacation destinations
We may not see this immediately, but it will hit us at some point depending on where we are departing and where we are going. There’s not much we can do to prevent high oil prices, but you can minimize the impact to your travel plans by planning early.
As frequent travelers, sometimes our flight schedules are fixed so book out as far as possible. Southwest gives you an edge as there are no costs for applying unused tickets to other Southwest ticket purchases. The same cannot be said for all the other major airlines.
Plan your vacations and book early to get the dates which fit your schedule. If you wait too long, you may not have the option to get on the flight and if you do, you may be paying up the nose for the few seats remaining.
In any case, expect higher prices regardless of when you plan to fly in the future. Play it smart and don’t procrastinate. Have a good week.