Airlines face latest test in July 4th weekend rush


Airlines that have struggled with canceled and delayed flights over the last two holidays face a fresh test of their ability to handle crowds as travelers flock to airports over the Fourth of July weekend, The Associated Press reports.
Air travel has rebounded to near-pre-pandemic levels. Thunderstorms caused sporadic disruptions in the days before the weekend rush. American Airlines had to scrap 8 percent of its Tuesday and Wednesday flights, according to FlightAware. United Airlines canceled 4 percent.
Travelers who plan to drive will face near-record fuel prices. The nationwide average gas price hit a nominal all-time high of $5.02 per gallon in mid-June, and was $4.86 a gallon on Thursday, according to AAA.
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Harold Maass is a contributing editor at The Week. He has been writing for The Week since the 2001 debut of the U.S. print edition and served as editor of TheWeek.com when it launched in 2008. Harold started his career as a newspaper reporter in South Florida and Haiti. He has previously worked for a variety of news outlets, including The Miami Herald, ABC News and Fox News, and for several years wrote a daily roundup of financial news for The Week and Yahoo Finance.
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