At any other time of the year, the “A” concourse at Orlando International Airport would be packed with passengers returning from their Disney vacations. But this isn’t any other time of the year. It’s September — the best time of the year to fly.
I’m at Gate 111, waiting for my flight to leave for Boston, and I’m wondering where all of the people are. Answer: there are no people.
September is typically the third-slowest month — after January and February — for flying. This year, I’m willing to bet it will be the slowest month. Maybe the slowest September since 2001.
Airlines are busy making capacity cuts, but it seems passengers are busy making cuts of their own, too. As a result, the airport terminals look like — and I want to be careful not to overstate this — ghost towns.
It’s a beautiful thing from an air traveler’s perspective. Who wants to stand in a long line at the gate? Who wants to be crammed into a plane?
Yeah, neither do it.
The big question is: Where does all of this end? Do airlines make even more cuts, a la Midwest, until they don’t exist, for all intents and purposes? Do they pull back and discount their seats, hoping passengers return?
Either way, it’s going to be an interesting fall.
