Skift Take
U.S. airlines took tens of billions in government bailouts. Now, many are having trouble delivering basic services to their consumers. It is a bad look, but it does not mean the bailouts were the wrong idea. Whether you like it or not, airlines are special. People rely on them, and the government had no choice.
Many U.S airlines are a mess this summer, with far more cancelations and delays than usual. On the worst days, overworked flight crews are often out of position, while airport and ground crews are overwhelmed by the onslaught of passengers and bags. Even at better prepared carriers, like Delta Air Lines, customers complain about long telephone wait times and airport queues.
A few airlines are doing OK, but are taking actions that suggest they're only a few bad days from calamity. JetBlue is giving $800 bonuses to flight attendants who don't take days off between July 1 and Sept. 6, CNBC reported.
Each airline has a slightly different excuse for operational miscues, and some like to blame the weather, as if summer thunderstorms aren't a way of life in the Midwest, Florida and Texas. But most of the pain comes from the same reason: Airlines are ill-prepared to handle the spike in passenger traffic. It shouldn't be surprising that Southwest Airlines and American Airlines, two carriers that rushed to add-back more capacity than peers, are among the worst offenders.
You can look at this situation in one of two ways. You can criticize airlines for taking bailouts — Axios reported U.
