With the holiday season around the corner, the slump in travel industry seems to be improving. This year, analysts in the airline industry are predicting a 3.5 percent increase in holiday travelers, prompting air carriers to add additional flights to their daily timetables, according to a report from United Press International. Although more flights may be added, the increase in fares will also be evident as the number of passengers recover from a prolonged, recessionary slump. On Monday, the Department of Labor Statistics said domestic airfares had risen 13.1 percent in the second quarter of 2010 from the same period a year ago.
So which airlines are passengers going to get the best deal on? Many say that Southwest, who recently purchased and absorbed AirTran, is the best buy on the market. According to CBS Money Watch, Southwest is the only airline that allows you to change reservations without charging the standard $150† fee that other major carriers charge.† Another reason that Southwest is a great bargain for holiday travel is that it doesn’t have a business or first class section. This allows for Southwest to take advantage of the space, and therefore, keep prices down.
Other airlines, like JetBlue, are coming up with creative marketing strategies. One of the big gimmicks is for New York City residents traveling during the holidays. Those who had made reservations by Nov. 2 and traveling from New York City to any JetBlue destination in December will receive a full refund if the Jets win the† 2011 Superbowl.
Make no mistake, regardless of the additional flights, holiday travel will be strenuous this year. After the bomb scare at Newark airport this past week, the Transportation Security Administration is cracking down on security screenings. TSA agents can now run their hands over a passenger’s breasts and genitals as part of a more thorough pat-down search for explosives and other contraband. This differs from the previous norm, which simply allowed passengers to go back through multiple times until cleared. Recent attempts by terrorists to smuggle explosives in their underpants prompted heightened security measures, including the use of full-body scanners at many U.S. airports, according to reports from The World Link.