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Costly, chaotic holiday travel weekend ahead, experts warn

This weekend is shaping up to be one of the busiest and priciest Fourth of July weekends on record.

AVOCA, Pa. — Morning flights ran on time at the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport Monday, an exception to the chaos that awaits travelers at other airports across the country.

Hundreds of flights were canceled within the last 24 hours alone, and that has Joanna Johnson "very" worried about her connecting flight from Charlotte to Columbus, Ga.

"Especially with a 4-year-old... I kind of have a backup plan," Johnson said. "If I need to grab a rental we're fully prepared to do that."

Add that kind of attitude to your packing list if you're heading out of town for America's birthday. That's the advice from travel agent Faith Ann Bartholomew who runs FAB Travel out of her home in Covington Township.

"Flight delays and cancellations are pretty much an everyday occurrence. So we're just kind of rolling with the tides so to speak. This last week was absolutely crazy," Bartholomew said.

And she only expects it to get crazier this weekend.

She says the problem comes down to staffing shortages, jet fuel prices, and pent-up demand left over from the pandemic. Airlines are decreasing the number of flights hitting the runway. And the ones that are taking off are costing you more and even "a lot higher," traveler Ann-Marie Russin from Moscow, Lackawanna County, said.

"I mean, I'm just going to Charlotte, and I think it's probably double the price of what it usually is," Russin said.

According to Hopper, a deal-tracking app, hotel rates, rental car prices, and airfare have been up. Domestic airfare is up 45% since 2019 while international airfare is up 31%.

"We used to be able to find some good deals, or there were some packages that we could get for people that had decent pricing for the flights, and I'm not seeing that anywhere anymore," Bartholomew said.

But the high prices and possible travel snags aren't spooking everyone into staying at home.

Chris Pietraszewski from Honesdale, for one, wasn't fazed as he headed to meet his son in Alabama.

"I know there's a lot on the news about delays but I think today will go smoothly," Pietraszewski said.

The airlines and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) are blaming each other for the problems. While Airlines for America, an airline lobbying group, says the FAA is understaffed, the FAA says after receiving millions in taxpayer money for pandemic relief, the airlines should be operating more smoothly.

American Automobile Association (AAA) predicts a record number of travelers will fill airports and highways this weekend. The organization says Friday, July 1 will likely be the busiest day for air travel, while Monday, July 4 will likely have the lightest crowds.

   

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