. “You can’t run an airline like it’s 2019, and the reason is because the system is just stressed to the max,” Kirby told CNN’s Christine Romans in an interview this week. “There’s strains everywhere, whether it’s in security or FAA staffing or systems. Across the board there are strains in the system, aircraft manufacturers delivering, having enough pilots and all of those stresses and strains means that the system is tighter.
But the strong rebound in travel demand, combined with the still-tight availability of seating, means that fares are higher than they were even before the pandemic. Kirby insisted there are still bargains to be found. “You could still often pay less for your airfare than the Uber to get you to the airport costs,” he said.
We need more money, I’m sure.