Air Travel Warnings And Pilot Shortages

AIR SCARE US flight warning – Air travel becoming UNSAFE, expert claims because of huge shortage of pilots

• Ryan Gray

AN AMERICAN pilot has warned that a nationwide staff shortage is making flights unsafe for passengers.

Dennis Tajer, from the Texas-based pilots union Allied Pilots Association, has said there is currently an "inhumane" level of pressure on pilots, something he thinks is a concern for travellers in the US.

Speaking on CNBC’s Squawk Box, Mr Tajer said passengers should be worried about their safety because of the effect that the shortage is having on pilots.

He said: “They need to be concerned because I’m on TV as a representative for our union saying, ‘There’s a problem here’.

“I don’t fly the airplane unless I’m fit to fly and the airplane’s ready to go. But the fact that you’re pushing us and pushing us... This is not a safety culture."

The pilot shortage has contributed to thousands of flights being cancelled or delayed, with airlines struggling to meet demands.

As of 5pm Thursday, over 3,800 flights were delayed within, into, or out of the US, according to FlightAware.

An additional 776 flights were cancelled across the nation.

Over the Juneteenth holiday weekend, at least 14,000 domestic flights were canceled or delayed nationwide, with more than 900 flights grounded on Sunday alone.

Delta was among the airlines with the most cancellations, with at least 200 flights halted.

Mr Tajer has urged the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to get involved, saying the pilots cannot fulfil the schedules they are being given by their airlines.

The pilot shortage has come because of job cuts and buyouts during the Covid-19 pandemic, as well as thousands of retirements.

As well as that, an increase in passenger numbers is making things worse.

Foot traffic at airlines has risen to pre-pandemic days as US airports have seen an average of 2.2million passengers a day since the start of June.

Overall, about three percent of scheduled flights have been cancelled this month, up one percent from last year - and the total number of cancelations rose 16 percent to 13,581 flights from one year ago, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Meanwhile, more than 1,300 Southwest airlines pilots picketed on Tuesday in Dallas, Texas to protest pilot fatigue, stress and stalled contract negotiations.