Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, July 3: Affected by the new crown epidemic and other factors, the U.S. aviation industry is severely short of manpower. Coinciding with the Independence Day holiday, hundreds of flights were canceled or delayed, leaving travelers stranded at airports.
July 4th is the Independence Day of the United States . With the advent of summer and the relaxation of epidemic restrictions, the number of passengers has increased. However, in the past two years, many aviation operators have tried to save costs in response to the epidemic, including encouraging employees to retire early. Tens of thousands of aviation industry employees have now resigned.
html On April 14, at Reagan National Airport in Arlington, Virginia, the United States, passengers wore masks and walked in the terminal. Flights were delayed; more than 100 flights were canceled on the 3rd. Aviation industry officials said that factors such as pilot shortages, insufficient air traffic control manpower, employee absences caused by the rebound of the epidemic, and weather changes have caused the above situation.
Analysts at Gaolin Consulting estimate that the U.S. airline industry has reduced manpower by 15% compared with before the epidemic. Some air carriers say they are working to fix the problem and recruit pilots and other staff.
html On April 14, at Reagan National Airport in Arlington, Virginia, the United States, passengers wore masks and waited in the terminal. Xinhua News Agency (Photo by Shen Ting) Peter McNally, an analyst at Gaolin Consulting Company, said that among multiple factors, the shortage of pilots is the most serious problem. “There is no short-term solution,” he told AFP reporter. “This problem is most obvious at the peak of the travel season.”
Some pilots are exhausted due to overloaded workload. Delta Air Lines pilots expressed dissatisfaction at multiple airports on June 30, complaining about overwork and demanding a new contract.
html On April 14, at Reagan National Airport in Arlington, Virginia, the United States, passengers checked in at the terminal wearing masks. Xinhua News Agency (Photo by Shen Ting) "Frankly, this is irresponsible and excessive scheduling," Jason Ambrosi, head of the Delta Airline Pilots Association Federation, told CNN on the 2nd , "Flight schedules are beyond our capabilities...Pilots are getting tired."
American Automobile Association said that affected by the chaos in the aviation industry, many people turned to road transportation. About 42 million Americans are expected to make long-distance trips via road transportation this weekend, potentially exacerbating traffic congestion. (Liu Xi)
