Book take that summer vacation now

The Federal Aviation Administration’s crackdown on American Airlines could spread elsewhere. With less than two months to summer, ever-rising oil prices, airlines cutting planes out of the rotation to try to save fuel (when they’re not having to do catch-up inspections on them), the Senate wanting to conduct its version of the House Transportation Committee’s grilling of FAA officials, and the outside possibility of a strike at American, and summer air travel is likely to be a royal clusterfuck.

Beyond that, airlines that either own their own commuter companies, such as American Eagle being owned by American parent AMR, or have contracts with independent puddle-jumpers, are going to be slashing their routes.

In other words, if you want to travel from Dallas to L.A., or Chicago to Seattle, as long as American hasn’t grounded planes, you may still be OK. BUT… if you want to travel from Amarillo to L.A. via Dallas, American Eagle may not get you there so easily or frequently. And even Southwest, as the rest of its fuel hedge contracts expire, will probably fly routes like that less often.