Travelers, pack your bags — and your patience

Though agents are reporting an increase in disruptions for clients, the principles of responsible travel still reign supreme.

With the ongoing shutdown of the federal government, which is the longest in U.S. history — 41 days as of this writing — one of the direct consequences for consumers is the disruption to air travel.

Thousands of travelers saw their flights canceled or delayed this week, and the U.S. Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy warned conditions could worsen ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday, generally one of the busiest periods of travel each year.

More than 2,800 flights were canceled and more than 10,000 were delayed Sunday, the third day of government-ordered flight restrictions owed to shortages of air traffic controllers. Some air traffic controllers report not having received a paycheck for several weeks. 

But Lakes Region travel agents say all hope is not lost. Flyers should remember travel best practices and remain patient, and your vacation will likely succeed. 

“I’ve definitely noticed,” Michelle Whitney of Simply Epic Travel in Laconia said about flight schedule disruptions on Tuesday afternoon. Some of her clients have experienced flight delays and cancellations, which can cause some passengers anxiety.

She’s doing what she knows best — being there for her customers and working with them through whatever comes along. Whitney speaks highly of travel insurance.

“I absolutely do recommend it for many different reasons,” she said, describing travel plans as a significant investment for most consumers. “I think it’s important to protect that investment.”

Being willing to be flexible and work through bumps in the road as they come along can go a long way, Whitney said. She recommends booking the earliest possible flight out, and arriving at an airport well in advance. 

“Be patient, plan ahead, and take the first flight out.

“Try and plan as far in advance as you can, because cost-wise, that can be beneficial for clients,” she said. 

While commercial airline traffic has been broadly impacted over recent weeks, private air traffic hasn’t been. 

“Private jets are still able to fly, they are not restricted,” Marv Everson, manager of the Laconia Municipal Airport, said Monday. 

When asked if he’s noticed individuals who may generally fly commercial opt for private bookings because of conditions in the airline industry of late, Everson said he hadn’t, and that the cost difference between options is “extreme.”

Business at the Laconia airport continues as usual, though on Monday in particular, it was slow. That slowdown was due to weather more than anything else, he said. The region saw intense rainfall early in the week. 

“As we approach the holidays, I would expect that to pick up a bit,” Everson said.

This time of year, a busy day at the local airport would mean between 10 and 20 jet flights coming in.

Kim Chase, an agent at Penny Pitou Travel in Laconia, said Monday she’s aware of the broad impacts to travel over recent weeks, but those haven’t had a big impact on any of her clients. 

“We don’t do a lot of straight airline tickets anymore,” she said. Most of their clients book airfare in conjunction with broader travel packages. 

Now, Chase said the best thing travelers can do is to download the mobile application for their airline. That way, they’re able to keep up with schedule changes, delays or cancellations with minute-to-minute information. Conditions can vary airport by airport, too. 

“Manchester hasn’t been too badly affected,” she said. “We haven’t seen it with any of our clients.”

While none of her clients have seemingly suffered from the travel blues, one client did elect to cancel a flight out west for business, because they didn’t feel comfortable flying at all. 

And holiday travel, expected to increase quickly, should prompt extra consideration, Chase said. Airports are busy and winter weather causes its own set of problems each year. 

“In a week or so, things will really ramp up,” she said. 

“Bring your patience,” Chase said. “Get to the airport early, and bring your patience with you.”