The end-of-year travel season is always a hectic period for the aviation industry, not least its airport operators. Upholding the responsibility of delivering passengers an efficient, streamlined travel experience, US airports will face a wide range of challenges this winter holiday season. Hopefully, if the trending data is anything to go by, passengers flying at peak times this year can expect minimal disruption.
The US aviation ecosystem has improved significantly since the tough COVID-19 pandemic years, recording an impressive 0.4% cancelation rate in December 2023. However, disruption is not only measured in cancelations.
Flight delays are also a bothersome risk of flying during the holiday season, with data from the Bureau of Transportation Statistics over the past decade showing an average departure delay rate of over 25%. So what kind of challenges do airports face during the peak holiday travel period? Airport operational challenges Running an airport is tough at the best of times, but it gets even more difficult during the winter rush. US airports face a surge of travelers around the Thanksgiving period in late November, followed by peak periods around Christmas and New Year's, which are traditionally hectic.
It is around these periods that we are accustomed to seeing long lines of exhausted passengers in airports. However, the US has made strides in improving the passenger experience, most notably with its newly introduced passenger "Bill of Rights" guaranteeing co.
