Pilot shortage leads to record-breaking cancellations
It looks like a long, hot summer for Northwest Airlines as it continues to cancel record numbers of flights, further alienating the frustrated flying public.
Some business travel advisors such as Joe Brancatelli is advising readers not to book flights on Northwest in either the busy months of July or August.
Northwest blames its high cancellation rates on the weather but pilots and airline personnel dispute their statements.
Bad weather disrupted flight operations and pushed many pilots over their monthly duty time limits, the airline says.
Northwest has been canceling up to 14% of its flights. The industry norm is considered less than 2% in good weather, according to wire service reports.
Northwest is trying to cope by relaxing ticket restrictions, increasing reservations staffing and contacting consumers about their flights’ status.
The Air Line Pilots Association, which represents Northwest pilots, says it warned Northwest management for months that pilot staffing was too thin and that pilot shortage was likely this summer because of peak travel demand.
Terry Trippler, the owner of Minneapolis-based TripplerTravel.com, who closely follows Northwest, questions management’s explanation for the cancellations.
“Northwest doesn’t’ even fly much in the East, where this supposed bad weather was,” he said.
Report by David Wilkening
David
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