In Travel News for October 14th, 2022 we talk about online passport renewals, London Heathrow Airport, and airfare prices.
Online Passport Renewal Now Open
The U.S. Department of State has again temporarily opened up online Passport Renewal to new users. Last month the State Department announced that they will be opening online renewals to all Americans in early 2023. Before fully opening the State Department will be continuing to conduct smaller test runs. There isn’t any word yet on how long the site will remain open, or how many people will be allowed to participate in this round. Officials did say that the program would open back up in November for another limited test run.
More Strikes Coming to London Heathrow Airport
Travelers to London Heathrow Airport could experience what’s being described as a “severe disruptions” this November. Currently about 700 ground staff are voting on a possible Strike. The strike dates would coincide with the World Cup in the middle of November, which takes place this year in Qatar. There is some good news however, American Airlines staff have agreed to call off upcoming strikes after a deal was reached with the airline. The threat of a strike disrupting Air Travel at Heathrow are unfortunately becoming a common occurrence. If you are traveling through Heathrow make sure you plan for possible delays or even cancelations just to be safe.
Airfare Pricing for the Holidays
Air Travel continues to be expensive. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Consumer Price Index airfare has increased by 8.2 percent over the previous 12 months. The price increase from August to September was approximately .4%. Going into the busy Holiday Travel season pricing is about 55% higher than it was in 2021 and 19% higher than it was in 2019. While many airlines have been working hard to increase staff, areas that require specialized training and education such as mechanics and pilots have been especially tricky. We are anticipating limited flights to continue through next year for most airlines which means prices should remain elevated.