US leisure and business travelers beaten down by economic uncertainty are waiting until the last minute to book air travel.
Many trips are being booked less than two weeks ahead of time — instead of the more typical one month or more. That is making it tough for airlines to forecast the capacity they need, putting revenue and profits at risk if carriers misjudge demand.
US airlines have had a tough year already with Donald Trump’s trade war eroding consumer optimism and cutting into travel demand. Flying has bounced back since June, but the lingering trend of late booking is undermining carriers’ ability to ...