Commentary: Amid flight cancellations and airport chaos, is it worth travelling

Compared to 2021, Europe welcomed almost four times as many international travellers during the first three months of the year, while the US welcomed more than twice as many.

On the other hand, the travel rebound has met a labour crisis: Employers are struggling to hire qualified people after many left due to pandemic unemployment. The result? Travel chaos.

From lost luggage to missed connections and cancelled flights, airports are struggling. In particular, Toronto Pearson airport has received poor publicity the past several weeks and been ranked “worst in the world” for the number of delayed flights (more than 50 per cent of all flights) from the end of May until July 19.

Is it going to be fixed anytime soon? Probably not. But airports like Pearson say they are seeing improvements. In the meantime, it’s a safe bet for travellers to get accustomed to paying more for lower quality services.

HEALTH BENEFITS OF TRAVELLING

But it is still worth travelling. We know how important travel is: We travel to reconnect with friends and family, to escape our normal lifestyles, to discover other landscapes and cultures. And taking vacations is actually good for your health and wellness, even when it is a short trip.

Travelling has health benefits, like recovering from mental and physical fatigue, improving household relationships and making people happier.

Researchers have shown that satisfaction with leisure travel is positively connected to quality of life. And several studies have even shown that international travel restrictions led to unintended negative health and social consequences.

While travel for vacation is recommended, beware: According to air travel specialists, more disruptions are on the cards and more air travel chaos is on its way. The labour issues that are the main reason for the disruptions are unlikely to disappear anytime soon and will continue to affect all tourism sectors, from transportation to hospitality and attractions.