The FAA announced earlier this week it is “gearing up” for a busy summer of air traffic, starting with this weekend. Memorial Day is traditionally the fourth busiest travel period of the year, and more than 54,000 flights are expected today. That would match the busiest travel date so far this year, April 17.
The number of daily flights is expected to increase through the summer, peaking at the end of July. Six additional 54,000-flight days are expected through August, with Thursday being the busiest day of the week, on average. The FAA said it has stood up new ultra-high sectors at the Jacksonville, Florida, Air Route Traffic Control Center to help accommodate increased traffic in the region.
The FAA blames weather as the leading cause of delayed flights. Its Joint Air Traffic Operations Center (JATOC) coordinates with airlines to minimize the impact of turbulence, storms and low-visibility conditions on air traffic. But a combination of runway construction, equipment outages and staffing issues has made Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey the poster child for airport woes. In a statement, the agency reported, “The FAA is taking immediate steps to improve the reliability of operations at the airport, which includes accelerating technological and logistical improvements and increasing air traffic controller staffing.”
