Google has seen a 450% increase in searches for “expected flight delays tomorrow” over the past week as the airline industry faces widespread cancellations and delays.
Searches for “which airlines are canceling flights” have also doubled in the past week through the July 4 holiday weekend, the company reported to Travel + Leisure.
2022 FLIGHT CANCELLATIONS HAVE ALREADY SURPASSED LAST YEAR’S TOTAL
Other search trends show that travelers are increasingly concerned about why flights are overbooked and how they could be compensated if they are on an overbooked flight.
The Transportation Security Administration said more than 11 million travelers were screened at airports across the United States from June 30 through and including July 4. Meanwhile, airlines canceled over 1,800 flights in or out of the United States, and over 22,000 more flights were delayed, according to Reuters.
A pilot strike and other financial struggles prompted Scandinavian Airlines, or SAS, to cancel almost 70% of its flights on Friday, the outlet reported. Pilots are in talks with the company for a new collective bargaining agreement, while the Stockholm-based airline filed for bankruptcy in the U.S.
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Disruptions to air travel have plagued the busy summer travel season as passengers return to the air amid relaxed coronavirus health and safety regulations worldwide. The disruptions have been caused by myriad factors, including shortages of pilots and air traffic controllers, weather complications, understaffing, and struggles with employee retention.
