Air transport improvements: flight cancellations decrease and airport investments increase

In a year marked so far by the Boeing scandal and social conflicts between flight attendants and management at several airlines, some good news has emerged in the world of aviation.

The flight cancellation rate is at its lowest level in years.

Despite record levels of air travel this year, figures from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) show that the flight cancellation rate for the first half of 2024 was just 1.4%, nearly the lowest rate in more than a decade.

The same rate was recorded in 2015.

The latest airline data reported to the U.S. Department of Transportation shows that weather continues to be the leading cause of flight cancellations.

On June 23, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) screened more than 2.99 million people in a single day at U.S. airports, the largest number of air passengers screened by the agency in its history.

“Record air travel this year is another positive sign for our economy as more Americans are flying than ever before,” Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said. “To prevent travel disruptions, the Biden-Harris administration has taken historic steps to modernize airports and expand passenger protections to make the travel experience more seamless.”

President Joe Biden’s bipartisan infrastructure bill would invest $25 billion in U.S. airport infrastructure over five years. This week, the Federal Aviation Administration announced $289 million in airport infrastructure grants in 40 states and an additional $1 billion in funding available to modernize airport terminals.

More than 200 airport modernization projects are underway.

However, the American Tourism Association says there is still work to be done.

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