(LibertySociety.com) – On April 23, Bloomberg announced American Airlines (AA) and United Airlines were making significant changes to their travel routes in response to pilot shortages. The airlines are replacing plane rides with buses for some shorter distance routes. Unfortunately, flights can’t happen without pilots, and the industry is trying to attract qualified individuals with attractive salaries and benefits packages, but it hasn’t been enough to account for the shortfall.
In January, American Airlines started offering sign-on bonuses for pilots and crew members, anticipating the growing shortage. An analysis at the time showed the pilot problem could grow to over 12,000 fewer pilots in 2023, resulting in a deficit of more than 20,000 by the end of 2029. That same month, the airline suspended flying multiple routes as the shortfall continued.
United and American Airlines are replacing planes with buses on some routes in an attempt to tackle the pilot shortage https://t.co/qbHJ25jOLt
— Transportation Insider (@TranspoInsider) April 24, 2022
To keep travelers moving between destinations, American Airlines will incorporate a land-based solution beginning on June 3. They will offer to ferry passengers between Pennsylvania and New Jersey, while United will bus people from Denver to Colorado’s smaller surrounding cities.
AA and United aren’t the only ones affected by the lack of pilots. Delta, SkyWest, and Breeze Airways also face difficulty finding people to fly their planes.
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