Billion dollar impact of air travel misery this winter
As airports begin the clear up after the latest Artic blast, the harsh winter has already cost the aviation industry and air passengers an estimated $5.8 billion.
According to a study by aviation software solutions company masFlight, up to 1 million flights were cancelled or delayed, affecting 90 million passengers between December and February.
The study estimates an economic burden to air passengers of $5.3 billion due to loss productivity and extra expenses such as overnight hotel stays and costs for alternate transportation.
Airlines alone lost around $500 million because of higher operating costs and revenue lost from widespread flight cancellations.
masFlight said a typical winter averages $3.3 billion in economic impact.
This winter has been particularly severe and unrelenting, but new rules in force have also impacted the ability of airlines to get flights off the ground.
New regulations took effect on January 4, limiting the number of hours pilots can be on duty, giving airlines less flexibility to react quickly to changing weather patterns.
Also, tarmac delay rules put a limit on the length of time an aircraft can spend on the tarmac.
With lengthy de-icing and long wait times for a take-off slot during bad weather, airlines may simply cancel a flight rather than be hit by a hefty fine.
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Editor for TravelMole North America and Asia pacific regions. Ray is a highly experienced (15+ years) skilled journalist and editor predominantly in travel, hospitality and lifestyle working with a huge number of major market-leading brands. He has also cover in-depth news, interviews and features in general business, finance, tech and geopolitical issues for a select few major news outlets and publishers.
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