US workers and passengers expect further misery as air travel rebounds

Employees complain about pay and conditions, travelers say prices are too high and service is poor – why is airline travel so bad?

The world is traveling again. Summer air travel is expected to surpass pre-pandemic levels in 2023, according to the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), and airline revenues are back to near record levels.

But for airline workers – who suffered the brunt of pandemic shutdowns and then the spike in air rage that followed – unresolved labor issues remain and many are warning that for passengers those issues, which have led to a surge in operational problems, remain and are likely to cause more concerns this holiday season.