be patient. Cheer up. Finally, be patient.

For travelers wishing to fly this holiday, this is a take-home message, as the surge in demand, coupled with the impact of COVID-19, is expected to cause congestion of the aircraft and even more nervousness for passengers and airline staff.

Growth is not limited to larger airports.

For example, at Reno-Tahoe International Airport, the number of passengers dropped by 95% in April 2020 due to the pandemic, so the number of flights this year has increased significantly.

Goodbye, "Reno Dash": Long queues at busy Reno Airport are the new normal

"We are really busy," Stacey, a spokesperson for Reno-Tahoe International Airport, said Sunday. "Our numbers are slightly higher than in 2019, and we are very busy in 2019."

Across the country, tourism is expected to increase significantly during the holidays. According to the Adobe Digital Economy Index, as of November 7, the number of flight bookings from November 20 to 25 (usually regarded as the Thanksgiving holiday travel period) has increased by 78% year-on-year. 

When many families choose to stay home and avoid travel because of COVID-19 concerns, these numbers not only exceed last year's numbers. They are also an increase of 3.2% from 2019, the last "normal" travel year before the pandemic. According to Vivek Pandya, principal analyst at Adobe Digital Insights, the trend of Thanksgiving also indicates that Christmas will usher in a busy season.

Pandya said: "After a year when many people were unable to see their friends and family on Thanksgiving, we expect the airport to be very busy this month." "The holiday hike has also pushed up online prices, and consumers should start thinking about Christmas soon. travel."

In addition to the increase in travel demand, rising fuel prices have also pushed up the price of air tickets. This increase is a significant change in the discounted fares offered by airlines to attract passengers, especially when the reduction in business and international travel encourages airlines to rely more on domestic leisure travelers. 

According to data from the International Air Transport Association, global aviation fuel prices have risen by more than 102%. Reno Airport officials also listed jet fuel prices as a key issue during the summer, raising concerns about potential service disruptions.

United Airlines Chief Executive Scott Kirby warned in October that rising fuel costs would cause the company to increase ticket prices.

"Higher aviation fuel prices lead to higher fares," Kirby said on CNBC. "Eventually, we will pass."

At the same time, COVID-19 fatigue, combined with the regular stress of travel and ongoing airline staffing issues, is expected to cause a series of problems. 

At the top of the list is the increase in unruly passengers. 

As of early November, the number of unruly passenger behavior investigations initiated by the Federal Aviation Administration was more than six times the number of investigations in the entire year of 2019. 

As of 2021, the FAA has initiated the following actions related to unruly passenger behavior:

Considering that the crew members did not report to the FAA, the number of accidents may be higher. 

"I attribute it to COVID fatigue," said Sunday. "We are all experiencing new challenges. This is a very uncharted territory."

The staff shortage is expected to aggravate the cancellation of weather-related flights, further aggravating the pressure of travel this year. The U.S. aviation industry has foreseen what might happen in recent months. 

Due to weather, staff shortages and other issues, Spirit Airlines cancelled more than half of its flights on August 4. Southwest Airlines cancelled thousands of flights during a weekend in October. American Airlines has been dealing with the issue of flight cancellations for several months, including more than 2,000 cancellations in late October and early November.

If you must fly this holiday season, here are seven tips to help you relieve the stress of travel.

According to Sunday, it is important to prepare and give yourself plenty of time.

"There is nothing more stressful than showing up too late and having to find a place, then line up at the ticket counter, and then line up at the TSA security check again," said Sunday. "You really don't want to miss your flight, especially in this new world where there is a shortage of labor and the number of passengers."

"When you have people who haven't traveled for a long time, it can be a learning curve," added Sunday.

Jason Hidalgo reports on business and technology for Reno Gazette Journal and reviews the latest video games. Follow him on Twitter @jasonhidalgo. Do you like this content? Support local news through RGJ digital subscription.