Summer air travel facing perfect storm for crowding, delays

BOSTON — Fewer flights, more passengers and potentially fewer personnel manning security checkpoints -- that's what could await air travelers this busy summer season.

"In past summers, it seemed road trips tended to be more popular. But this summer it seems everyone wants to go away, fly away, go somewhere new and different," AAA travel agent Felicia Troy said.

What was supposed to be new and different this summer for some airlines, the Boeing 737 Max, is a major non-fly at the moment. The new planes were grounded almost worldwide after two horrific crashes in Indonesia and Ethiopia. Those were crashes blamed on the malfunction of software meant to prevent the planes from stalling.

In the U.S., just three airlines took delivery of the Max, but thousands of flights have been canceled this summer because of their grounding.

United tells Boston 25 News taking its 14 Max planes out of service is forcing 2,400 cancellations through Aug. 3. American is grounding its 24 Max planes until Aug. 19, with 9,200 flight cancellations as a result. And the largest operator of the Max, Southwest, grounded 34 of the planes. That means 8,700 cancellations through Aug. 5.

The FAA could approve Boeing's software fix for the 737 Max as early as next month, but getting the plane out of storage and back in the air will take some time. That's because the planes will need servicing and pilots will need to be trained.

Another possible hang-up for travelers this summer is the stretch on Transportation Security Administration checkpoint personnel. The TSA says some could be sent to the U.S.-Mexican border. A TSA official told Boston 25 News the transfers would involve a few hundred Homeland Security employees.

"TSA is supporting the Department of Homeland Security effort to address the humanitarian and security crisis at the southwest border. TSA is in the process of soliciting volunteers to support this effort while minimizing operational impact," a statement read.

Passengers say they hope that when it comes to that last part, TSA really means it.

Cox Media Group