This odd glitch comes amid new rounds of thousands of flight cancellations during the 4th of July weekend. Travel demand continues to surge; however, airlines remain behind the curve, largely owing to pilot and other staffing shortages.
Growing backlash against airlines
Amid COVID, the federal government turned over billions to the nation’s airlines. In light of this, many Americans continue to question why airlines aren’t able to hire new staffers and avoid all the travel impediments that regularly make the news.
Sen. Bernie Sanders recently penned a letter to the US Department of Transportation, advising the agency to fine airlines for delays and cancellations. In some cases, the senator even believes airlines should be on the hook for covering travelers’ hotel and food costs.
The timing of this latest American Airlines glitch is not good. Some social media users have even suggested that what happened wasn’t really an accident. Others believe there are forces behind the scenes that simply don’t want people flying.
