Thursday 30 June 2022 08:03 PM Thousands have their flights canceled as pilots' union says 88% due to staff ... trends now
The crisis in the airline industry appears set to continue over the Fourth of July holiday as thousands face delays and cancelations amid a staff shortage and picketing pilots.
On Thursday alone, 5,827 flights within, in or out of the United States have been delayed, while another 639 were canceled. This comes ahead of a holiday weekend which is expected to see 3.5 million Americans fly according to AAA.
Newark Airport remains the most prolific in terms of cancelations, with 49, while Denver International has the most delays at 349.
Travelers are already facing a difficult summer as airlines expect record demand and as they rebuild staff levels after thousands of workers left the industry during the COVID-19 pandemic.
American Airlines alone has delayed over 700 flights, but one pilot says that 88 percent are due to staff shortages and the delays are actually meant to spin the truth.
Southwest Airlines pilots picket outside the terminal at Dallas Love Field on Tuesday,
Passengers at the Delta terminal at the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport
On Thursday alone, 5,827 flights within, in or out of the United States have been delayed, while another 639 were canceled. This comes ahead of a holiday weekend which is expected to see 3.5 million Americans fly according to AAA
Newark Airport remains the most prolific in terms of cancelations, with 49, while Denver International has the most delays at 349
Travelers are already facing a difficult summer as airlines expect record demand and as they rebuild staff levels after thousands of workers left the industry during the COVID-19 pandemic
Delta Airlines pilots planned to start picketing on Thursday at several major airports including LAX, JFK and Atlanta, which are some of the most affected in terms of cancellations and delays
Delta Airlines pilots planned to start picketing on Thursday at several major airports including LAX, JFK and Atlanta, which are some of the most affected in terms of cancellations and delays.
Dennis Tajer, active American Airlines pilot and the Communications Committee chairman for the Allied Pilots Association, claims that AA is delaying flights 24 hours instead of canceling to make the cancelation numbers appear lower.
However, he noted that any flight delayed by 24 hours is essentially a stand-in for a canceled flight.
'American Airlines is claiming that they have the pilots to fly the summer schedule. They’ve said that they have a training backlog, but we’re good,' said Tajer.
'We don’t believe them. Based on our numbers, they do not have the pilots and staffing to get this done. We’re warned them for months and month. This is a broken record, the needle is skipping on the same groove of the vinyl.'
Over 750,000 passengers have had their flights impacted in the month of June on American Airlines alone, with 75,000 just in the past two days.
American Airlines alone has delayed over 700 flights, but one pilot says that the delays are actually meant to spin the truth
Dennis Tajer, active American Airlines pilot and the Communications Committee chairman for the Allied Pilots Association, claims that AA is delaying flights 24 hours instead of canceling to make the cancelation numbers appear lower
'The house is on fire. We have buckets of water and they’ve told us not to move,' said Tajer, who claims that the solutions exist to better utilize pilots and let them work overtime, but that American refuses.
'What’s even worse we have solutions to better utilize us. We’ve told them for the last two summers, but they’re not interested.'
American Airlines
