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U.S. NEWS Tuesday 30 May 2017
Get ready for busy travel season; airlines could set record

plains why Chris McGinnis, slaught. TSA has 2,000 more
founder of the TravelSkills screeners than last summer
website, recently paid $520 and increased allowances
for a ticket. for overtime and part-time
“That was an indication help, he says.
to me that the airlines are Airlines for America ex-
feeling pretty good about pects that for a fifth straight
demand,” he says. summer, occupancy on
There is no evidence yet the average plane will top
that a spate of viral videos 83 percent. Since the av-
like the United one have erage includes less popu-
hurt ticket sales. Strong lar flights, like those late at
demand is helping airlines night, it means that many
push up prices. Analysts flights will be full — or even
predict that the amount overbooked.
passengers pay per mile, a Full planes make it harder
rough approximation of av- to rebook passengers from
erage fares, will rise around flights that are canceled
3 percent over last summer. due to storms. Airlines often
At a few airports, travelers don’t recover quickly from
will face increased security storms, either. Last month
measures including plac- it took Delta Air Lines five
ing each large electronic days to get over a one-day
Travelers stand in line as they prepare to be screened at a Transportation Security Administration device — laptop, tablet, storm in Atlanta; it can-
checkpoint at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. By air or camera — in a separate celed 4,000 flights.
car, summer 2017 travel numbers are expected to rise over the previous year thanks to deals on
airfares and stable gasoline prices. bin to go through the X- On the nation’s highways,
(AP Photo/Alan Diaz) ray machines, which could the auto club AAA is fore-
slow the screening process. casting that 39 million
By DAVID KOENIG cal standards. And travel- roundtrip tickets for Chica- The Transportation Security Americans will drive at least
AP Airlines Writer ers can find deals, espe- go-Los Angeles and $93 for Administration struggled to 50 miles away from home
DALLAS (AP) — If you’re cially on routes flown by Fort Lauderdale, Florida- keep up last spring, and over the Memorial Day
planning a big vacation discount airlines such as Las Vegas. tens of thousands of trav- weekend, a 2.7 percent
trip this summer, move Spirit. It helps that Spirit Airlines elers missed flights. The increase over the holiday
over. You’re going to have Some of the lowest fares on and Southwest, the origi- TSA fared much better by weekend last year.
lots of company. popular routes are coming nal low-fare airline, fly both summer, and spokesman The average price for a
By air or car, traveler num- from United Airlines, which those routes. Neither flies Michael England said the gallon of regular on Friday
bers are expected to rise is trying to regain passen- between San Francisco agency is ready for this was $2.37, according to
over last year thanks to a gers lost to rivals in recent and Atlanta, which ex- year’s vacation-season on- AAA. q
decent economy and sta- years and to overcome
ble gasoline prices. the image, replayed over
U.S. airlines expect to carry and over on the news, of
234 million passengers from a passenger being brutally
June 1 through Aug. 31, up dragged off a United Ex-
from the summer record of press plane.
225 million a year ago, ac- “I call them the mea culpa
cording to the trade group fares,” says George Ho-
Airlines for America. bica, founder of airfare-
While fares are edging up watchdog.com.
overall, they are still rela- For example, he said, Unit-
tively affordable by histori- ed recently offered $79

New York students can apply

for free college tuition June 7

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — New Students must pay out of
York college students can pocket for room, board
apply for the state’s free and other expenses.
tuition plan beginning June Recipients also must re-
7. Gov. Andrew Cuomo main in New York for as
announced the New York many years as they re-
State Higher Education Ser- ceived the benefit and re-
vices Corporation Board of pay the money as a loan if
Trustees approved Excelsior they take a job elsewhere.
Scholarship regulations last Cuomo says the board ap-
week. proved regulations that
The initiative was a key pri- waive or postpone repay-
ority for Cuomo. It covers ment in “cases of extreme
tuition at state universities hardship,” and provide
for full-time, in-state stu- flexibility for military service
dents whose families earn members and disabled
$125,000 or less. students.q