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WSJ What’s News

Planning to Fly? War, Pricey Fuel and a Shutdown Are Making It Harder

WSJ What’s News

The Wall Street Journal

Daily News, News

4.14.2K Ratings

🗓️ 22 March 2026

⏱️ 13 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Ahead of the busy spring travel period, it's quickly become more expensive and inconvenient to fly. With war dragging on in the Middle East, rising fuel prices are increasing costs for airlines and forcing some to steer clear of the region. Meanwhile, a partial government shutdown in the U.S. is causing long lines at busy air-travel hubs as TSA employees quit or call in sick. Host Luke Vargas speaks to aviation reporter Benjamin Katz and airlines reporter Alison Sider to consider whether there’s an end to the disruption in sight. And check out WSJ’s Take On the Week for an in-depth conversation on oil and the broader energy markets from an investor's perspective. Further Reading: Airfares Have Doubled on Some Flights. The Sticker Shock for Spring Travel Is Upon Us. European Airlines Extend Middle East Flight Suspensions Airlines Offer Glimpse Into Operations as Middle East Conflict Weighs on Fuel Prices Airline Executives Urge Congress to End Partial Government Shutdown Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0

Access to affordable credit helps me pay my employees, but I don't really need it.

0:05.0

Infliction is killing me!

0:08.0

But who cares? Big retailers are making record profits!

0:12.0

That's why we support the Durban Marshall Credit Card Bill!

0:15.0

See? Banks and credit unions help small businesses make payroll.

0:18.0

This bill would cut the vital resources they need.

0:25.1

While increasing megastore profits, they deserve it. Don't they?

0:29.1

Tell Congress, stop the Durban Marshall money grab for corporate megastores.

0:31.2

Paid for it by the Electronic Payments Coalition.

0:38.3

Hey, what's news listeners. It's Sunday, March 22nd. I'm Luke Vargas for the Wall Street Journal, and this is What's News Sunday, the show where we tackle the big questions about the biggest stories

0:43.0

in the news by reaching out to our colleagues across the newsroom to help explain what's happening

0:47.2

in our world. And this week, it's quickly getting more expensive to fly, thanks to rising fuel prices. The DHS shutdown in the U.S.

0:56.6

is making it more inconvenient to fly, and the war in Iran seems to be making it more risky,

1:02.3

as international flights try to steer clear of the conflict. And with millions of travelers

1:07.1

locking in their summer travel plans, it's enough to make some wonder if it's worth it

1:12.0

or safe enough to take to the skies. We'll ask a pair of our aviation reporters. Let's get right to it.

1:18.8

I want to introduce Journal Aviation Reporters, Ben Katz and Ali Sider. Allie, welcome back from

1:25.6

parental leave, and we've gifted you a hectic travel landscape, so

1:30.0

you're welcome for that. Yeah, great time to be jumping back into work. Ben, your desk, my desk,

1:35.8

they're pretty close. We talk about aviation disruptions pretty much on a daily basis, and

1:40.8

the U.S. and Israeli war against Iran is rapidly reordering the world of aviation. We are three

1:47.9

weeks into this, but in many ways it seems as if the situation is actually sort of getting worse than it

...

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