Expect Flightmares Ahead

What an absolute Flightmare! If you’re traveling this summer, be prepared for flight interruptions. Travelers are experiencing delays and even flight cancellations.

Here is what we know:

• Pilots and other airline workers were offered early retirement packages or were laid off back in 2020 during the pandemic causing a shortage in what we are now seeing in current times. It takes approximately 2-years for a pilot to be fully trained with enough flight hours to fly a commercial aircraft.

• The travel demand is in full force this summer as the last two summers have been affected by Covid. Airports have not been able to return to full capacity in terms of vendors, baggage handlers, ground staff, flight attendants and pilots.

• Pilots from different airlines are picketing due to lack of pay, too much forced overtime and fatigue. Pilots are not being fairly compensated for handling extra flights due to lack of pilots and the high demand for travel.

• Airlines have been forced to cancel thousands of flights and even canceled entire routes and ceased operating at some airports. As of recent, cities have been cut off from major carriers. It’s not as simple as “getting on the next flight” if your flight is delayed or canceled. That “next flight” might be tomorrow. Planes are at full capacity already and the chances of you getting on the next flight are highly unlikely. You may be forced to wait two to three days for space to be available. Therefore, your arrival in your destination city might not happen for days.

• Airlines are expected to hire around 12,000 pilots this year, but with the shortage across the industry and long training process for commercial pilots, this solution is not going to be fixed right away.

• The shortage delays don’t include any type of weather delays you may experience. Those cause additional flightmares. Airports are strongly encouraging travelers to book reservations at the earliest time of day possible to avoid any later delays. They are also advising travelers to check in much earlier than normal as airports are extremely busy.