People all over the world are anxious to travel again as pandemic restrictions are being lifted. But those planning to leap on a plane for a vacation have been frustrated by chaos within the airline industry. In each North America and Europe, hundreds of flights have been cancelled and tons of of hundreds of passengers have had their trips disrupted.

Things will worsen before they recuperate. Air Canada has announced it’s going to eliminate greater than 150 day by day flights for July and August. “Regrettably, things are usually not business as usual in our industry globally, and that is affecting our operations,” Air Canada president Michael Rousseau said in an email to customers when announcing the flight cutbacks.

So why is that this happening? Here are answers to some key questions on the present problems with air travel.

Why are so many flights being cancelled or delayed?

The principal reason behind the disruptions has been a shortage of qualified personnel at airports to handle the recent surge in passenger traffic.

Airlines have been profiting from recent demand for air travel by returning aircraft and flight schedules to shut to 80 per cent of pre-pandemic levels, with the resulting volume of flights putting significant stress on the potential of the supporting infrastructure — airports, air traffic control and labour conditions.

Air travel, as measured by the variety of kilometres travelled by paying passengers, has began to rebound as pandemic restrictions have been lifted.
(International Air Transport Association)

Are the issues only happening in certain airports or is that this a worldwide issue?

The congestion phenomenon in the summertime 2022 travel season is rapidly spreading across a variety of European and North American airports. The reason behind this concentration of congestion is sort of easy: these are the air travel markets which have experienced the very best volumes of air travellers in recent months.

The rapid elimination of COVID-19 protocols in these markets since March have generated a big increase within the demand for air travel, with volumes of passengers that haven’t been seen in greater than two years. This increase in volume has been highly evidenced in major airline hub airports akin to Amsterdam, London, New York and Toronto, where tens of hundreds of passengers are processed daily.

Are all the issues related to the pandemic?

When the worldwide air travel market collapsed in March 2020 with the introduction of travel restrictions and border closures, the industrial aviation industry took steps to conserve money and maintain a minimal workforce.

Hundreds of hundreds of aviation staff were laid off or terminated, with years of experience and technical expertise faraway from the ranks of the industrial aviation communities.

With the help of governments throughout the world, over US$200 billion of monetary support was provided by governments to assist the industrial aviation industry maintain minimal service and stop financial collapse.

When demand for air travel returned this March, the hiring frenzy began, but in a really different labour environment. The individuals who left in 2020 had, for probably the most part, moved on to other profession opportunities and now not had much interest in returning to an industry characterised by lower compensation and a better employment risk. So the staff shortages have their genesis within the pandemic, and can proceed to affect employment levels as travel returns.

A line of people waiting behind a railing in an airport
Travelers wait in long lines to examine in and board flights at Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport, Netherlands, on June 21.
(AP Photo/Peter Dejong, File)

How many more individuals are travelling lately in comparison with a 12 months ago – and in comparison with pre-pandemic levels?

The International Air Transport Association publishes air travel statistics regarding the amount of air travel throughout various world markets. It has noted that there’s a significant difference in the amount of air travel, compared to each 2021 and pre-pandemic levels.

The air travel market that has demonstrated the very best rebound has been domestic North America — travel for April 2022 has increased greater than 280 per cent in comparison with April 2021 traffic levels, but stays at barely greater than 30 per cent lower than April 2019 levels.

In the Chinese domestic market, continuing pandemic-related travel restrictions and occasional city lockdowns have resulted in traffic levels down by near 80 per cent in April 2022, in comparison with April 2021 and 2019.

What could be done to stop delays?

There are a variety of perspectives that could be applied to a resolution of the present level of delays.

European authorities have announced specific reductions in flights, while the U.S. government is threatening to impose flight reductions as a way of minimizing flight cancellations.

The Canadian government has facilitated a gathering with the foremost aviation organizations in Canada to debate a concerted and effective resolution and Air Canada announced measures it was aspiring to implement to ease congestion at each Toronto Pearson and Montreal Trudeau airports.

Canadian government officials have also announced plans to rent near 2,000 additional border security and screening personnel to take care of specific congestion issues. Labour groups are usually not certain that the issues of congestion will probably be addressed by such actions.

The major issue is the amount of air travellers which are being drawn into the airport environment by the amount of flights operated by the airlines. Airlines have decided to grow their capability to fulfill surging air travel demand, however the airport infrastructure will not be equipped to handle such volumes.

While such enthusiasm by the airline industry is laudable in times where adequate and experienced staff can be found at airports, that will not be the case now — and is not going to be the case for the foreseeable future.

A blurred photo of people walking back and forth in an airport
Travellers queue at security at Heathrow Airport in London on June 22. People are prone to face travel disruptions until no less than September.
(AP Photo/Frank Augstein)

How long will this last?

The summer travel season is in full flight within the northern hemisphere. Additional airline capability and greater demand for air service by a travel-starved population will proceed through no less than September.

Unless actions being contemplated by American, European and Canadian carriers leads to a discount of peak loading of aircraft movements across major airline hubs, in North America and Western Europe primarily, the congestion and delays will proceed – and possibly worsen.

Relief will most definitely are available in the autumn, as demand for air travel is reduced with the arrival of the college season. Staffing may even reach required levels by the autumn, with the arrival of normal industrial air operating conditions.

Other issues that will reduce demand include higher airfares on account of inflation and better oil prices, which can impact the survival of some airlines.

What advice would you give to air travellers over the following few months?

Airport authorities have been providing guidance to travellers on how best to arrange themselves for summer travel, including recommendations on learn how to avoid delays at security checks.

In this coming summer of disruption, I might recommend travellers embark on their air journey with patience, ensure they’re well-rested prior to departing for the airport and do not forget that airline staff are also experiencing stressful moments during their day.

A smile, a thanks and, above all, a caring attitude for fellow travellers and staff known as for. The air travel experience will recuperate!

This article was originally published at theconversation.com