Airlines around the world are preparing for an extremely busy summer, with many believing that travel will finally return to pre-pandemic levels. Even so, some airlines will cut their flight schedules.
American Airlines announced the cut of nearly 50,000 flights from its summer schedule, with June and July being the most affected months. The reduction represents 5% of the airline’s total flights. Several American Airlines hubs across the United States will be impacted, but Chicago O’Hare International Airport will see the largest cuts.
In an interview with the Dallas Business Journal, American Airlines spokesperson Adreas Koos justified the cut by stating that it was merely a normal adjustment.
“We are now publishing our final schedule with approximately 100 days’ notice, which aligns with the adjustment we made to our 2019 schedule before the pandemic. American takes pride in offering the largest fleet in the United States during the summer, with an average of over 5,500 daily departures,” she reiterated.
Staff shortages affect other airlines
Flight cuts are becoming the norm as airlines worldwide continue to struggle with the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic. With a return to normal life last year and thousands of eager passengers wanting to travel after a long period at home, demand for flights has surged, but airlines have been unable to keep up due to staff shortages.
The German airline Lufthansa, for example, also announced the cut of 30,000 flights from its summer schedule due to staff shortages. The company stated that the lack of personnel remains an issue and that it would be better to adjust the schedule now than to face a large number of last-minute cancellations.
The basic law of capitalist economies: high customer demand and low flight supply result in expensive airline tickets. So, for this summer vacation, prepare your wallets.