NEW YORK — Air travel this Thanksgiving is expected to be at an all-time high this year, but between airport security lines and airplane seats, it’s hard to find anyone who enjoys flying.

“Air travel used to be nice. It’s not anymore. Now it’s like the subway during rush hour. It’s a little dehumanizing,” said Huntington resident Kevin Rockitter.

“It’s very frustrating. I’m traveling with children… It’s a lot,” said traveler Marchare Canada.

“It’s just overwhelming, it’s an all-encompassing word,” said Upper East Side resident Ella Ingold.

CBS News New York’s Dick Brennan visited John F. Kennedy International Airport, LaGuardia Airport and Newark Liberty International Airport to find out if air travel is really getting worse?

Have things gotten so bad?

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey says through August: there were 1.4 million additional travelers transiting through the region’s three airports compared to 2023, a record rate. This is actually 3 million more compared to the same period in 2019.

You would think that more people would mean more flights available, but that is not the case. So far this year, there have been about 27,000 fewer flights because airlines have been able to put an average of six more passengers on each plane.

“Airlines view passengers as human cargo that takes care of itself, let’s be honest,” said CBS News travel editor Peter Greenberg.

Greenberg says not to try to coach stretch.

“So we’re all in the back of the plane. We’re all hunkered down more. There’s less legroom, right?…And the FAA hasn’t done anything about it. this topic except allowing airlines to add even more seats and reduce seats.” space,” he said.

There is also the problem of checked bags not arriving at their destination.

“So my philosophy on airplane baggage is simple. There are only two types of airplane baggage: carry-on baggage and lost baggage. Follow the program,” Greenberg said.

However, according to the numbers, everything is not so bad. Cancellation rates are actually down this year and some travelers appreciate new technology, like airline apps, but we’re a long way from the days of wiggle room and catered meals on board.

How did we get here?

Professor Ganesh Sitaramen, author of “Why Flying is Miserable and How to Fix It,” says things changed dramatically when the United States deregulated airlines in 1978, and it’s time to reverse that trend.

“This means having a number of regulated prices to prevent price gouging and decline in quality,” he said.

Sitaramen has one piece of advice for anyone having a miserable flying experience: Contact your elected official.

“Call your congressman…That’s how we’re going to make change, is by getting people in government to actually do something,” he said.

How can you continue to steal and keep your sanity?

In the meantime, Going.com’s Katy Nastro has some airline hacks.

“Try to prioritize morning flights and non-stop flights when you can. Morning flights have an on-time arrival rate 25 percentage points higher than an afternoon flight or evening,” she said.

If you’re planning a trip abroad, Nastro suggests booking around the holidays when most people return home.

“Thanksgiving is actually one of the best times of year to travel abroad…You get what you pay for in terms of price, but you also get fewer crowds,” she said .

For added security with checked bags, try installing a GPS tracker, like an Apple AirTag.

“It’s not going to get you your bag back any faster, but it will give you a little bit of assurance and it may just give you a little bit of peace of mind,” Nastro said.

Finally, Greenberg suggests lowering your expectations.

“So if you look at it from an experiential point of view, when people ask me if I had a good flight, you know what I tell them? Two words: we landed. It was a great flight.” , he declared.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Transport recently announced passengers will be entitled to automatic refunds for canceled or significantly changed flights.

Dick Brennan

Dick Brennan joined CBS News New York in 2012 as an anchor and reporter.