JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Thousands of flights are soon set to be cancelled nationwide, with the FAA announcing its plans to cut 10% of all flights at 40 of the nation’s largest airports. Now, experts are warning that the whole system of air travel could soon be thrown into disarray, particularly at non-hubs and regional airports like Jacksonville International.
>>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<<
“The airlines, if they have a choice, they’re gonna try to keep the flights that carry the most people,” Colin Scroggins, a former air traffic controller of 34 years out of Boston, explained Thursday. “They’re gonna try to keep those operating. That’s more profitable for them.”
Now, travel experts are also warning that the impacts could be far-reaching into travelers’ wallets. With fewer flights rolling into the holiday season, Mark Jenkins with AAA predicted Thursday it very well could get pricey for travelers everywhere amid the historic FAA cuts.
“It’s possible that you could see prices increase because of this, because of just basic supply and demand,” Jenkins told Action News Jax. “If there’s less supply out there at a time when demand is high as we head into holiday season, then you could see some upward pressure on prices.”
[DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks]
Meanwhile, Jenkins said the FAA’s plans only further highlight the need to think ahead and get your plans finalized early, with longer lines and more travel headaches likely around the corner for travelers.
“It’s all the more important that you just need to lock in your plans as early as possible, make sure you look for a fully refundable airline ticket, [and] if you’re looking for a rental car, lock in those plans now,” Jenkins suggested. “There are gonna be a lot of folks that are looking to finalize their plans, and you don’t wanna be left out.”
You can find more information on how each of the major airlines is handling refunds and exchanges during this time by clicking the link here.
[SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter]
