WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - As Memorial Day approaches, the Federal Aviation Administration says it is gearing up for its busiest summer in the last 15 years.
The federal civil aviation agency anticipates record high travel this Memorial Day weekend, with a peak this Thursday of nearly 54,000 flights. 'Keep an eye on fly.faa.gov to monitor the status of all airports across the National Airspace System, and make sure to visit our PackSafe page for information on what you can and can't take on a plane,' FAA said.
So far, the busiest travel day in the United States was April 17, when more than 54,000 flights operated. FAA said it is expecting flight numbers to grow week by week throughout the summer, with the peak at the end of July and six more 54,000+ flight days before the end of August. Thursdays will be the busiest day of the week.
The FAA created new ultra-high sectors at the Jacksonville Air Route Traffic Control Center. This new airspace reduces delays by accommodating more aircraft.
Weather continues to be the leading cause of flight delays. The FAA aid its Joint Air Traffic Operations Center, or JATOC, works closely with airlines to mitigate the impacts of bad weather on air travel.
The FAA has been slowing arrivals and departures at Newark Liberty International Airport due to runway construction at Newark and staffing and technology issues at Philadelphia TRACON, which guides aircraft in and out of the airport.
The agency said it is taking immediate steps to improve the reliability of operations at the airport, which includes accelerating technological and logistical improvements and increasing air traffic controller staffing.
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