Airlines are planning fewer flights on bigger planes to avoid a repeat of 2022's summer of travel chaos
- Last summer saw a spate of horror travel stories as the aviation sector rebounded from the pandemic.
- Major airlines have agreed with the FAA's request for fewer flights but larger planes this summer, per the NYT.
Major airlines are hoping to avoid a repeat of last summer's travel chaos by scheduling fewer flights but with bigger planes.
As the aviation sector rebounded from the pandemic in 2022, airports and airlines struggled to readjust to the increased demand.
From lost wedding dresses to a 13-month-old booked on a separate flight to her parents, there were plenty of horror stories.
So the industry has put changes in place to try to avoid anything similar happening again this year.
In a statement, the Federal Aviation Administration told Insider it's "taking several steps to keep air travel this summer safe and smooth, even as we see strong domestic demand and a return of pre-pandemic international traffic."
Several major airlines have agreed with its request to fly less often but with larger planes.
That includes United Airlines, which told The New York Times it will have 30 fewer daily departures from New York's Newark compared to 2019.
For instance, last summer, it had four round-trip flights to St Louis each day, but that's been cut to three this July.
Yet that route will still have 18% more seats available because it's swapping out one of its smaller, regional planes for an Airbus A319, per the NYT.
This is all happening thanks to new changes introduced by the FAA.
From May 15 to September 15, the agency is easing a requirement that meant airlines could lose their takeoff and landing spots if they don't use them in time.
That policy applies to the three New York City hubs and the Reagan National Airport in Washington, D.C.
"To help prevent disruption, the agency will give airlines flexibility on slot usage requirements," the FAA said. "In turn, the FAA expects airlines to take actions minimizing impacts on passengers, including operating larger aircraft to transport more passengers and making sure passengers are fully informed about any possible disruptions."
United Airlines did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.