Employee Shortages Causing Flight Cancellations Around the World

According to foreign media reports on June 21, travel restrictions have been mostly lifted against the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) virus outbreak, coupled with the arrival of the Northern Hemisphere’s summer travel season, passenger demand for flights is strong. However, airports around the world are suffering from widespread flight cancellations or delays brought on by employee shortages.

According to data compiled by Aviation Data Consulting, the global flight cancellation rate continued to rise in June. In the United States, the total number of cancellations so far this month is up 16% over the same period last year, to 13,581. In Europe, excluding Russia, the number of flights cancelled in June increased by 162% to 8,228 compared to the same period in 2019. What’s more, American Airlines also announced that due to ongoing pilot shortages, the company will stop services in three cities this fall, including Islip and Ithaca, New York, and Toledo, Ohio.

JetBlue has also reduced flights throughout the summer due to staffing issues. The airline industry’s employee crisis is not only reflected in a shortage of pilots, but also involves air traffic control, airport security, baggage handling, catering and staffing for boarding services. This shortage is expected to continue until next fall, as aviation employees must undergo strict safety screening procedures. Some analysts pointed out that the shortage of employees in the global aviation industry, represented by pilots, is a reflection of the CCP virus vaccine disaster. The world needs to address the real causes of the shortage of pilots in the airline industry.