Airport chaos: European travel runs into pandemic cutbacks

After a few weeks holidaying in France during May, I would say only masochists should voluntarily travel there during summer. Even then it was hot, pretty crowded and to add insult to injury, expensive with the weak yen. Since then it’s become hotter, much more crowded and suffers more strikes.

If you must go, do what we did to minimize stress. Use trains for shorter trips and buy 1st class seats as often 2nd class unreserved seats were full. Fly with only hand luggage unless you enjoy lost bags. Pay a bit more to get front row seats with reserved, priority boarding.

Remember that many places (hotels, Air bnb, stores) there lack air conditioning despite the now hot summers (34 degrees in Switzerland yesterday!)

It isn't just Europe, North America is having serious trouble trying to get their airlines running at pre-pandemic levels.

Greed in my eyes, they laid off people at the drop of a hat, and now wants to run a skeleton crew. No one wants to return to work for the same wage when inflation is through the roof.

All predictable (i.e. avoidable) for anyone with a bit of a brain. After two plus years of pandemic restrictions the middle of the bell curve has the same singular idea. The world now looks like Japan during Golden Week. It's an optimal time to check into a luxe experience close to home and accessible by ground transportation. Avoid the hassle, discomfort, high expense and (most especially) the chaos.

Just three weeks ago cruised through two airports in Europe, and was remarking how empty they were compared to those in the States.