Flight delays expected to increase this summer

Josh Roberts believes the best trips involve long hikes and muddy boots. His life goals haven't changed much since he was a kid: He still wants to be Indiana Jones when he grows up.

Follow him on Twitter (@joshwhowrites) and Instagram (@joshwhowrites), and visit his website (joshrobertsbooks.com) or Goodreads page to learn more about his forthcoming novel.

Josh joined SmarterTravel in 2001, and is an active member in both the Society of American Travel Writers (SATW) and the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI).

In addition to SmarterTravel, he has written for USA Today, The Boston Globe, Yahoo! Travel, The Huffington Post, Airfarewatchdog, TripAdvisor, Jetsetter, ABC News, Oyster, and Business Insider. His travel photography can be seen in Britain and Ireland's Best Wild Places, published by Penguin UK.

The Handy Item I Always Pack: "A lacrosse ball. It's small, lightweight, and works wonders on loosening up tight muscles."

Ultimate Bucket List Experience: "Being the first to discover an ancient lost city. Failing that, visiting as many of the already-discovered ancient ruins as possible."

Travel Motto: "Not all those who wander are lost." -J.R.R. Tolkien

Aisle, Window, or Middle Seat: "Aisle."

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Keith Alexander at the Washington Post writes about something I’m sure we’ve all noticed recently: flight delays are on the rise. Alexander, though, actually gives us some numbers to back it up. More than 431,800 flights were delayed in April, the most in more than a decade.

The reason for this—and why we can expect things to get worse this summer—also comes down to the numbers. More than 200 million people are expected to fly this summer, and the airlines have fewer planes and fewer flights to carry them. The domestic airline fleet is about 20 percent smaller than it was just six years ago, before bankruptcies battered the industry. The decreased number of flights, down 2.3 percent from last summer, means there just isn’t enough room for everybody.

Thus, outright cancellations are down (the airlines can’t afford them), and lengthy delays are on the rise. In other words? Pack an extra-thick book before you head to the airport this summer. You may be there longer than you like.

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