Air travelers are facing a new reality of higher fees, fewer flights and tough choices about whether a trip is worth the cost. The culprit is volatile oil and jet fuel prices that have been swinging since the war in the Middle East started and fighting near the Strait of Hormuz disrupted global oil shipments. Airlines around the world are responding by trimming schedules and raising fees and fares. Experts say budget carriers and the customers who rely on them will feel the pinch first, but even business travelers and front-cabin passengers won't escape higher costs. Relief may not come quickly even if oil prices start to drop, experts warn, because airlines can take months to adjust fares while they wait for energy markets to stabilize.
The sight of travelers suffering through long security lines at U.S. airports this week have many people showing up way before their flights. But now some airports where the wait times have been manageable despite the partial government shutdown are telling travelers to stop arriving so early. In Ohio, John Glenn International Airport in Columbus says the early birds are only making things worse. The airport says getting there too early can create longer lines and says it's better to space out arrival times to keep the lines moving smoothly. That's welcome news for some travelers. But many wait times at airport security checkpoints remain unpredictable with long lines.
