Connecting flight? Good luck.
Key takeaways
- To add more angst to air travel, the first half of 2026 gave air travelers a rollercoaster ride of delays and disruptions.
- Maintaining the National Airspace System is a complex operation, with multiple stakeholders.
- The Federal Aviation Administration is responsible for numerous aviation safety operations and oversights, including aircraft certification, pilot certification and air traffic control.
Why this matters: political developments that affect policy direction and public trust.
Jacobson, opinion contributor - 07/03/26 11:00 AM ET Comments: Link copied by Sheldon H. Jacobson, opinion contributor - 07/03/26 11:00 AM ET Comments: Link copied Adobe Images. The summer travel period has begun, with high passenger volume keeping airplanes filled, even as jet fuel prices remain high and ticket prices have spiked.
To add more angst to air travel, the first half of 2026 gave air travelers a rollercoaster ride of delays and disruptions. Whether it was Transportation Security officers not being paid due to government shutdowns, air traffic controller shortages or inclement weather, air travel appears to have become less predictable — and perhaps even subject to more risk. The collision of an American Airlines regional jet with an army Blackhawk helicopter back in January 2025 gave many people time to pause, thinking that they could have been on that flight.
Maintaining the National Airspace System is a complex operation, with multiple stakeholders.