Cheap fares, particularly cheap airplane tickets, and cheap vacation packages should continue to be readily available in 2010. Almost as interesting to passengers, is what they can expect from the airlines in 2010.
The following is what can be anticipated:
There should be fewer extended delays where travelers are stuck for hours on end on runways. In April of 10 DOTs (Department of Transportation) rule goes into effect forcing airlines to allow passengers to exit planes after sitting on a runway for three hours. Although there are exceptions to this rule for factors such as weather and flier safety, the airlines will be incentivized to comply by facing fines of up to $27,500 per person per incident.
The DOT has recently demonstrated greater backbone in penalizing airlines for poor performance. Last September Spirit Airlines was fined a record $375,000 for not adhering to several consumer protection rules, ranging from bumping fliers off flights without compensation, to failing to solve luggage issues within a reasonable amount of time.
Higher luggage fees will result in more passengers packing less and checking fewer bags which will mean fewer bags lost.
The closure of the busiest runway at JFK airport for four months, starting March 1st, while it is being repaired, will likely contribute to delays that could be felt across the country.
We may see more flights cancelled due to the threat of million dollar fines for violating the new tarmac delay rule.
If, as forecasted, more passengers fly in 10, planes will become more crowded, with more passengers being bumped and those bumped passengers finding fewer seats on later flights.