Holiday travel 2015
Book your holiday air travel early this year. That’s the advice from Dean Headley, Airline Quality Rating co-author and associate professor of marketing at Wichita State University.
Demand for airline travel has been strong all year, and demand is expected to remain strong through the holiday travel weeks around Thanksgiving and Christmas. Travelers on U.S. airlines during the holidays usually find that ticket prices are higher and seats are harder to find. With seat capacity and route adjustments because of airline consolidation, booking early is highly recommended.
While industry airline performance quality has generally improved each year since 2007, the travel experience has become more stressful and uncertain, especially around the holidays. High passenger volumes and the possibility of bad weather should always be factored into holiday travel plans.
“During the past several years, the holiday travel period has continued to be a challenging time for travelers, and with industrywide seat capacity adjustments, it will remain a stressful travel experience,” said Headley.
“December and January typically have the worst on-time arrival percentage and mishandled baggage rates of any month. The best bet for the consumer is to travel as early before the actual holiday or as late as possible afterward, and always leave room for schedule changes.”
Full article available here.
