CLT gets through Memorial Day weekend with few delays
The Memorial Day weekend is expected to set records for travel with AAA saying about 45 million people will travel 100 miles or more.
Charlotte Douglas International Airport seemed to be weathering the influx well. Only five delays and no cancellations were reported as of Monday morning. The weather largely held without any major storms, which also minimized delays over the weekend.
Newark Liberty Airport, by comparison, saw delays averaging over two-and-a-half hours Monday morning. That's blamed on an ongoing staffing shortage of air traffic controllers. That's even after the Federal Aviation Administration slashed the number of flights following weeks of disruptions.
Last year, there were more than 89,000 airline complaints.
According to a new report from the Public Interest Network, some major and low-cost airlines fared better than others when looking at statistics from 2024. The report found that Southwest and Delta had the best records for flight delays and cancellations, while Frontier, Spirit and United had the worst.
Frontier had the worst ratio of complaints to passengers.
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Los Angeles Times
3 hours ago
- Los Angeles Times
Travel disruptions fueled by Trump policies may culminate at peak summer season
WASHINGTON — The Trump administration invited travel industry executives to the White House in May for a meeting on federal plans for the 2026 World Cup, a landmark event that under normal circumstances would draw massive international tourism to the United States. It was a welcome gathering by President Trump and his team for an industry eager to capitalize on a rare opportunity and capture tourism dollars. Welcome, at least, until Vice President JD Vance cracked a joke. 'We'll have visitors from close to 100 countries — we want them to come, we want them to celebrate, we want them to watch the games. But when the time is up, they'll have to go home. Otherwise, they'll have to talk to Secretary Noem,' Vance said, referring to the Homeland Security secretary and head of border enforcement. Vance's remarks, while taken in jest, fell flat in a room filled with experts more keenly aware than most of the challenges facing travel in the Trump era. 'It's one of those moments where you're almost, like, stop helping us,' one participant in the meeting told The Times, granted anonymity to speak candidly. Stories are flooding media overseas of capricious denials and detentions at U.S. border crossings, raising concern among international tourists over spending top dollar on vacations to America that may end up disrupted, or never materialize. Erratic tariff policies out of the White House have shaken consumer confidence that experts say reliably tracks with discretionary spending on travel. And a series of scares in U.S. aviation, coupled with cuts to the National Park Service and the National Weather Service, have made planning trips to some of the country's top destinations less reliable. In California, the nation's No. 1 tourist destination, international visits are expected to drop by 9.2% through the year, with international spending anticipated to drop 4.2%, according to a forecast published last month by Visit California and Tourism Economics. Around Yosemite National Park, one of the nation's most popular attractions, reported bookings were down 'as much as 50% going into Memorial Day weekend,' Caroline Beteta, president and chief executive of Visit California, told The Times. Narratives of travel disruptions under the Trump administration have given pause to U.S. officials and industry experts concerned not only with the immediate economic consequences of a slower summer season, but with the prospects of anemic attendance at World Cup games next year and, beyond, for the Olympics in Los Angeles in 2028. 'Consumer confidence certainly matters,' said Geoff Freeman, president and chief executive of the U.S. Travel Assn. 'It creates a degree of uncertainty.' Unlike much of the rest of the country, California is particularly susceptible to shifting trends among tourists from Asia, where tourism has yet to rebound from the COVID-19 pandemic as robustly as it has in the Americas and Europe. Commercial flight restrictions over Russian airspace and the strength of the U.S. dollar haven't helped, Freeman said. On the other hand, California benefits from a tourism industry that relies more heavily on domestic travelers, the source of 80% of tourism dollars spent in the state, Beteta noted. 'There's no question that there are widespread misperceptions about impacts to the travel experience, from reports about staff cuts to detentions at the border,' Beteta said. 'Cuts at the National Park Service, for example, don't affect the park concessionaires — and those companies run most of the visitor-facing services, such as lodging, dining, shuttle services and much more. The misperception of chaos at the parks is a PR issue that can have real consequences.' But Cassidy Jones, senior visitation program manager at the National Parks Conservation Assn., said that cuts to the parks are tangible and will directly affect visitors' experience over the coming months, despite efforts by leadership at the Department of the Interior to paper over the cracks. 'There may be fewer entrance gates open,' Jones said. 'People should plan ahead and remember to be helpful park visitors. Take the optional shuttle. Come with supplies with you, as some facilities may be closed at hours you're not expecting, because they don't have the staff to keep them open. Toilets may not be unwinterized yet if they're in cold places.' In April, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum issued an order directing that national parks be 'open and accessible' through the summer season, as fears grew that staffing cuts implemented by the administration could become apparent. Still, the White House cuts and hiring freezes severely disrupted a seasonal hiring and training cadence for park rangers that usually begins around Christmas, Jones said. 'Some parks may not feel like a lot of changes are evident, but there's a lot of work that is not being done in the background,' Jones added. 'The order basically demanded that even though parks have experienced devastating staffing cuts, they are to put on a sort of public appearance that everything is business as usual. That means pulling superintendents to work in visitor centers, science and research management staff to make sure facilities are clean — biologists cleaning toilets, that sort of thing.' Twenty years ago, roughly half of flight delays were caused by uncertainty over the weather — a number that has dropped to 33% in recent years thanks to improved forecast quality. That progress is starting to reverse due to widespread cuts in talent, and will be felt by travelers sooner rather than later, said Rick Spinrad, who served as administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration under President Biden. Trump's government efficiency program, known as DOGE, has eliminated hundreds of positions at NOAA, including at the National Weather Service, and is proposing a 25% cut in the agency's budget. 'In the short term, this summer, when people are doing longer traveling, we may see a degradation of services. You may see more delayed flights, more weather-impacted flights,' Spinrad said. But Spinrad's concern is that the cuts to NOAA will soon be felt much more deeply, at the local level, among the emergency managers, local transportation departments and public health centers that count on reliable forecasts to map out their work. 'What we're going to start to see, I think, is the erosion of the capability of NOAA to provide services to the degree that people had become accustomed to,' he said. Spinrad visited Southern California in late May and was taken aback by the number of people raising concern over the agency's ability to continue predicting atmospheric river events, with all of their implications on public safety, reservoir operations and hydro power. Those forecasts rely heavily on the work of a satellite operations facility that was gutted by the Trump administration. And the capabilities of the National Weather Service to predict phenomena like Santa Ana winds, which fueled devastating fires in Los Angeles in January, are at risk, with 30 of the agency's 122 weather forecast offices operating without meteorologists and with technicians cut throughout, he said. 'I know it will degrade, just by definition. Everything's going to degrade,' Spinrad added. 'All of NOAA's predictive capabilities will degrade as a result of these cuts.' Mark Spalding, president of the Ocean Foundation, warned the aviation industry would soon face disruptions as NOAA's capabilities continue to diminish. 'We will see effects this summer, because they've fired so many people and shut down so much activity,' Spalding said. 'There are a lot of services that a lot of people rely on that NOAA provides — weather prediction, ocean observing, tsunami early warning, hurricane center monitoring,' he added. 'There's a lot this summer that could be affected in ways that are akin to what we're seeing in air traffic control due to the sudden loss of personnel there.' Still, Freeman, of the U.S. Travel Assn., expressed optimism for the U.S. tourism sector going forward, noting he and his counterparts are in 'regular communication' with the Trump administration over headwinds facing the multitrillion-dollar industry. 'We have no shortage of challenges in the travel industry,' he said. 'I think the picture right now for travel is uncertain, at worst.' 'For every challenge you see, there is an opportunity on the other side,' he added.
Yahoo
18 hours ago
- Yahoo
From Samsonite to Away, These Luggage Deals Make It Easy to Replace Your Tired Gear for the Start of Travel Season
If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Rolling Stone may receive an affiliate commission. With the start of the summer travel season officially kicking off, you might be pulling your old suitcases out of storage only to realize the zipper is broken, or that the budget hard shell suitcase you bought is just not durable enough. The good news is that even past Memorial Day, you can still find plenty of summer sales of up to up to 80% off travel essentials from the best luggage brands around, on everything from our editor-beloved carry-ons, to TSA-friendly travel backpacks. Even some of our favorite accessories to make it through layovers and long-haul flights are still discounted right now. More from Rolling Stone Cory Booker Is Turning His Record-Setting Senate Speech Into a Book F1 Star Charles Leclerc's New Headphones Collab Sold Out In Minutes - Here's How to Get An Almost Identical Pair Adults Are Using These Coloring Books to Help Reduce Anxiety - Here's Where to Buy Them Online for Under $7 Save up to 60% on brands like Bagsmart, Luggex, Nine West and more Up to 20% off on luggage, travel bags, and accessories BOGO 10% off and buy two, get one 15% off Up to 15% off luggage sets Up to 60% off luggage, laptop bags, and duffels Get up to 25% off their most popular luggage kits To make things easier for you as you get ready to board your flight, we've rounded up all the best luggage deals available right now from brands like Away, Calpak, Monos, Tumi, Samsonite, Amazon, American Tourister, and more, with options for carry-on and checked suitcases. We're spotting the best luggage deals are on some of our favorite trusted brands like Samsonite and American Tourister. If you look hard enough you can even find popular celeb and star-loved luggage on sale, like Dagne Dover. We've rounded up a range of deals from a vareity of our favorite brands right below (including luggage sets) so you can pick one that best suits your needs. (Note: luggage sale prices were accurate as of this writing). shop now on away Away luggage is rarely ever on sale, which is why this luggage deal is worth your money. Get our favorite carry-on bags and more for up to 20% off right now. shop now on amazon For carry-on luggage that will fit comfortably under your airline seat (with some extra bells and whistles), Amazon is the place to save up up to 60% on luggage and travel accessories from Amazon Basics, Bagsmart, Luggex, Nine West and more. Who knew Wrangler made more than just hard-wearing jeans, either? This Astral Hardside Carry-On has a built-in 3-in-1 cup holder, phone holder, and a USB port for charging in the back. shop now on american tourister For their 'long weekend savings' event beyond the long weekend, get up to 40% off sitewide on American Tourister. You can also use the promo code SUMMER15 at checkout to receive an extra 15% off (code will stack with current pricing). shop now on antler From feature-packed checked bags for longer trips, to carry-ons, backpacks and day bags, get up to 60% off at Antler. $79.99 $99.99 20% off Buy Now on amazon shop now on bagsmart You can get BOGO 10% off and buy two, get one 15% off luggage on Bagsmart's site, but as a bonus, you can save up to 36% on Bagsmart's carry-on luggage when you shop their sale on Amazon. shop now on baggallini Get 50% off all sale styles, including personal item bags, crossbody and sling bags, packable totes and backpacks. shop now on béis Enjoy 15% off when you combine any roller, weekender and dopp kit from Béis, along with other luggage set deals. shop now on calpak Get up to 60% off luggage, bags, backpacks and more at Calpak right now, including an extra 10% off their bestselling Luka Duffel for a super limited (36-hour) time. shop now on dagne dover Get 25% off Dagne Dover's popular pre-curated luggage kits, where you can mix and match a variety of luggage, bags, duffels, backpacks and packing cubes. shop now on delsey Paris Save up to 40% off sitewide on Delsey Paris' elegant carry-ons and spacious checked bags, and get an extra 10% off with promo code EXTRA10. Right now, you can also score a free set of packing cubes with a purchase from Millie Bobby Brown's collab collection florence by mills x Delsey Paris. shop Now on herschel Take up to 40% off select Herschel luggage, backpacks, duffle bags, lunch boxes and more travel accessories (think rain jackets and UV protective bucket hats). shop now on lo & sons Get up to 40% off select styles of travel bags, totes, duffles, and more — Lo & Sons says on their site that with tariff increases in the horizon, they won't be able to offer these deals for long. shop now on mark & graham Take up to 60% off select personalized bags, luggage and more from Mark & Graham, plus an extra 20% off clearance items and free shipping on orders over $150 with promo code SHIPFREE. shop now on monos Simplify your travel experience by saving up to $150 when you bundle Monos' curated luggage and travel bag sets. shop now on nex From now through May 31, enjoy up to 65% off Nex's limited-edition 'Hawaii 2024: Return With More Than Memories' luggage collection for AAPI Month before it's discontinued. You can also save 15% on all orders over $250 and up to 20% off luggage bundles. shop now on roam The customizable luggage brand is letting you save more the more you spend — get 20% off when you spend $599 or more, 25% off on $500 or more or 30% off orders of $1,200 and up. shop Now on roverlund Traveling with your furry best friend? Save up to 20% on Roverlund's pet carrier and luggage bundles. shop now on samsonite If you're unsure whether you need to stock up on carry-ons for a short trip or large checked luggage for your weeklong trek, you'll want to take advantage of this Samsonite sale — for their Summer Kickoff Event, save up to 40% sitewide, no promo code needed. shop Now on solgaard Take up to $106 off Solgaard's award-winning luggage with built-in closet systems — that means all-time low prices starting at $229. shop now on solo new york Save up to 50% on Solo New York's sustainable bags and luggage that repurpose discarded plastic bottles for material. shop now on tumi Get up to 40% off luggage, backpacks, bags and more during Tumi's Semi-Annual Sale (with new styles recently added). Best of Rolling Stone The Best Audiophile Turntables for Your Home Audio System
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
Hiker suspended 150 feet from a helicopter after plummeting into a waterfall in Northern California
A hiker who fell 30 feet down a waterfall and into a pool in Butte County had to be harnessed to the end of a 150-foot rope and pulled out by a helicopter over the Memorial Day weekend, according to authorities. The hiker, who was not identified by authorities, suffered serious injuries and could not be reach by ambulance in time, rescuers said. The man was hiking with friends near Feather River Canyon and Camp Creek Falls — near the site of the 2018 Camp fire — when he tried to take a photo of the waterfall and slipped, according to authorities. The hiker fell onto the granite rocks and over the edge of the waterfall, down a 30-foot drop into the pool below, according to Kevin Soukup, a spokesperson for Butte County Sheriff's Search and Rescue. The rescue team responded to the incident in Pulga and when they saw he had sustained serious injuries, decided to rely on a helicopter for the rescue. The injured man, who was conscious at the time, was put into a harness and flown while attached to the helicopter with the 150-foot rope, Soukup said. The man was flown to a landing zone near Cresta Power House and transferred to Enloe FlightCare for further medical care. The entire helicopter trip took between 30 seconds and a minute. Read more:This cliffhanger video from Riverside County has a happy ending "This is the riskiest type of rescue that you do," Soukup said. "Just by nature, helicopters are dangerous. Anytime someone suffers a traumatic injury, you look at the risk and reward and getting them out as quickly as possible via the helicopter was the right decision to make." The road getting out of the area is about three miles and an ambulance wouldn't have made it in time, Soukup said. Anytime there is a traumatic injury, if the journey is more than a 30-minute drive, you have to fly them there, he said. The rescue was a joint operation with Cal Fire and Butte County Fire. Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
