WASHINGTON — Heading off for a two-week business trip, Gary Hacker made it aboard his 4 p.m. flight to Chicago — but his 50-pound Samsonite suitcase wasn’t as lucky. United Airlines had two other flights within hours from Washington Reagan National to Chicago, but Hacker’s bag didn’t arrive at his hotel until 5 a.m., a few hours before a business meeting.
“I was in casual clothes. I had no change of underwear, no contact-lens solution, and I had a meeting the next morning,” said Hacker, who plans to stuff more clothes into a larger carry-on bag in the future.
Hacker’s flight is a preview of the woes awaiting travelers during the summer travel season. Passengers should brace for long lines, tight quarters, delayed flights and mishandled luggage.
While a headache for travelers, crowded planes signal that airlines have made strides in reorganizing their operations and improving their bottom lines. They have trimmed flights and parked oversize jets to get more passengers in their seats at a lower cost.
In April, United filled a record 83 percent of its seats, a 3.4 percent increase from the same month a year ago. Northwest, American, Continental and US Airways filled 80 percent or more of their seats.
Travel experts say airlines this summer will be slower to cancel flights for mechanical problems because of the difficulty they would have in finding available seats on alternative flights. As a result, passengers could face more and longer delays.
