The big Thanksgiving air travel wild card

Flight chaos over the summer has air travelers on edge as Americans head into what's expected to be the busiest holiday travel season since 2019. By all accounts -- from airlines, industry groups and aviation analysts -- US air carriers are in a much better position than they were this summer to avoid operational meltdowns over the holidays. "They've adjusted their schedules, they've been on hiring binges, on putting people in the right places that we hope will be at the right time," said Nick Calio, president and CEO of Airlines for America, an industry group representing US air carriers. The number of Americans expected to travel by air over Thanksgiving is up 8% over last year, according to AAA's forecast, and air traveler volume is expected to be about 99% of the 2019 volume. United Airlines has said it's on track to hire 15,000 employees in 2022, and Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian said the company has hired 25,000 people since the start of last year and is still hiring. Airlines have now passed 2019 staffing levels, according to Airlines for America, and US carriers have adjusted their staffing models to account for factors such as increased absenteeism. US airlines also have increased the staffing reserves they have on hand, the group said, and it also pointed to a less concentrated holiday travel period as Americans who can work remotely have more flexibility. "I would not say we're out of the woods yet," said Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg at Chicago O'Hare International Airport on Monday. "But I am cautiously optimistic about this week being off to a good start." But there's still a big wild card -- one that long predates problems aggravated by the pandemic. It's a force that has a way -- even when predictions are dead-on -- of shattering the best-laid plans "I always worry about the weather because that's the number one thing that can ruin a flight or a flight pattern," Calio said.<br/>