Buttigieg warns of challenging winter travel conditions

U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg warns that winter weather will pose a challenge for holiday travel, as the year-end period is expected to be one of the busiest in decades. The FAA is working closely with airlines to plan for potential disruptions caused by bad weather. Despite this, Buttigieg notes that travel cancellations during Thanksgiving stayed below 1%, and 2023 has seen the lowest cancellation rate in the last five years. AAA estimates that over 115 million people will travel during the holiday period, marking the second-highest level in over two decades. Southwest Airlines has reached a $140 million settlement with the U.S. Department of Transportation after last year's chaotic holiday season, during which nearly 17,000 flights were canceled, leaving over 2 million travelers stranded.