Summer season will check simply how properly airways have recovered from the chaos of this previous vacation season.

The massive image: Summer season journey and the vacations are airways’ greatest stress assessments. The vacations have been a nightmare, as Southwest Airways entered full meltdown, and a number of different challenges might complicate summer time journey, too.

By the numbers: Simply 69.1% of home U.S. flights departed on time in December 2022, in keeping with the U.S. Division of Transportation. Southwest’s struggles dragged down the typical for all carriers.

• That determine is mostly between 75%-80% in a typical month, albeit with predictable dips within the busy — and sometimes meteorologically difficult — summer time and winter journey seasons.

Zoom in: Denver Worldwide Airport, Seattle-Tacoma Worldwide Airport and Austin-Bergstrom Worldwide Airport posted among the nation’s worst on-time efficiency charges in December, at 57.4%, 61.7% and 66.4%, respectively.

What we’re watching: All indications thus far counsel Southwest has recovered properly since December — however the trade is grappling with a contemporary set of challenges.

The busier journey season can even be a check for pilots, air site visitors controllers and different stakeholders after a string of alarming incidents in current months.

• The Federal Aviation Administration issued a “safety call to alert” Wednesday to remind pilots, airways and others of greatest practices for protected flying, following a string of alarming incidents in current months.
• Additionally on Wednesday, a key Senate committee indefinitely delayed a vote on President Biden’s choose to run the FAA amid mounting opposition to his candidate, Phil Washington.
• The FAA has been with no Senate-confirmed administrator since March 2022.