Traveling this summer may require a lot of patience and grit as the aviation industry tries to keep up with demand.
Airfare inflation is still going strong: Between February 2022 and February 2023, airfares rose 26.5%, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.Aviation industry and labor shortages Labor shortages are a more fundamental problem facing the aviation industry, including a lack of pilots and air traffic controllers, which is leading to delays and cancellations.
A few issues culminated in creating the shortage, Mann said. The pandemic slowed hiring, controllers have to retire by age 56, and it takes 3 years to get up to speed on the job. Only 2,400 openings for air traffic controllers are projected annually by the BLS, over the decade. The median annual wage for air traffic controllers was $129,750 in May 2021.
Airlines meanwhile are preparing for a very busy summer travel season both domestically and internationally.