每日社评 暑期假期窒礙難行 0601

暑期假期窒礙難行

 上週末長假因為四千五百個航班取消, 造成全國空中交通大阻塞，  成千上萬的旅客因而滯留在機場上進退不得， 這也將意味著今年的暑假會面臨更多的交通不便。

 在美國航空公司中， 以三角洲航空公司將近有百分之九航班被取消，有百分之十九航班被延誤， 他們試圖在二十四小時前通知旅客不要到機場去等待。

 今天我們面對之困難， 是多方面原因所造成， 首先是因為疫情關係， 選成航空飛行人員之短缺 ，許多機師們都不願回到崗位上， 根據政府之報告， 雖然疫情仍然未能全面消除， 但是旅客卻不斷增加， 同時造成航空公司之極大壓力。

 汽油上漲是歷史新高， 許多地區更漲到每加崙近七元美金， 是有史以來最高之價位 ，對於一般國民而言汽油費漲了一倍 ，這是非常沈重之負擔。

 暑假來臨是一般家庭計劃外出旅遊之日子， 今年之情形似乎讓大家都遇上困難，這對民主黨執政的政府是一項巨大之挑戰。

 俄烏戰爭未停， 北約組織許多會員國正遭受諸多困难， 首先是切斷了俄羅斯能源天然氣之供應 ，加上金融貿易市埸之衝擊， 通貨膨漲及物價高升， 民間小企業們一片哀號之聲。

 從世界経済之觀點看來， 全球供應鍊之受阻， 加上各國之间交通不順， 海空運費用激增， 這都是物價飆漲之原因。

 我們要奉勸拜登總統立即召開全國経濟高層會議， 邀集官產學者及中小企業代表， 要政府聆聽他們之建議， 如果共同解決目前和未來因應之道。

 今年的暑假可能是非常難挨的日子了。

Suffocation Of Summer Vacation

Nationwide air traffic was blocked due to the cancellation of 4,500 flights last weekend. Thousands of passengers stayed over at airports and could not move forward which means that the coming summer vacation will face more traffic inconveniences.

Among U.S. airlines, nearly 9% of Delta Airlines’ flights were cancelled and 19% of all flights were delayed last week.

The difficulties we face today are caused by many reasons. First of all, there is a shortage of pilots, many of them because of the pandemic many are unwilling to come back to fly due to the health risk. According to statistics, airline passengers have increased by 25% compared with last summer. This puts a lot of pressure on the airline companies.

The price of gasoline is now at an all-time high. In some areas, prices have risen to as much as seven dollars -- the highest price for gasoline at the pump in history. For most people, the gas bill has doubled. How can everybody continue to afford to fill up their tanks?

The summer vacation is a traditional part of a family’s plan. This year’s situation, however, seems to cause everyone to encounter financial difficulties in their planning which now is a huge challenge for the current administration.

Coupled with the war in Ukraine, many European countries also are now suffering with energy shortages because it has been cut off from Russia. With rising prices all over the world, small businesses are all suffering from the war.

We strongly urge President Biden to call an emergency economic summit and invite government officials and scholars and business owners to voice their opinions on how to solve the problems together.

Time is very critical now. Unless we take action immediately, our economy will be in a recession soon.