Christopher Anderson

Professor at the Cornell School of Hotel Administration

Christopher Anderson is a professor of operations, technology and information management,  and an expert in the hospitality and airline industries. He says domestically, the most immediate issue is airport processing.

Anderson says:

“When security staffing is constrained during one of the busiest leisure travel periods of the year, delays build quickly and the likelihood of missed flights rises. At the same time, travelers are also contending with higher fuel costs, which can affect both airfares and driving trips, while international travelers face added uncertainty tied to customs delays and broader overseas airspace disruptions.

“What makes this season notable is that these are not isolated frictions, but rather they interact and often amplify one another. A long security line can easily cascade into rebooking costs, missed connections, and lost vacation time, particularly for students and families operating with tight schedules and limited budgets.

“More broadly, travelers are moving through a high demand system with very little slack/surplus capacity. For many, the primary risk is not the flight itself, but everything surrounding it, from security screening, reentry delays, and the financial/opportunity cost of disruption. Those most likely to feel these effects are students, families, and budget-conscious leisure travelers, because they have the least flexibility to absorb extra cost, delay, or itinerary changes.”