Summer of Flight Disruptions: Airline Travelers Face Frustration

Summer airline travel season is plagued by delays and frustrations for flyers, with flight cancellations down but delays on the rise. The House passed a bipartisan bill to address airlines' obligations to customers, while Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg is pursuing new rules to require compensation for delays or cancellations caused by airlines. The airlines blame the Federal Aviation Administration for staff shortages and point to severe weather and flight volume as the main drivers of delays. Additionally, a massive backlog of passport applications is causing international travelers to wait up to 13 weeks for documents, leading to missed trips and nonrefundable charges.