Originally Posted by
Grumpyaviator
I think it has become common in the industry where they build a schedule based on demand and then adjust it to the short-comings in staffing. At least they’re doing it well in advance and not after the lines come out or 24 hours in advance.
It really is a good problem to have when you understand what’s driving it is the fact that demand came back much quicker than predicted.
Look at all the flights AA added back into their schedule. Then they had to cancel a number of them. Why? Not enough pilots that had been through requal. Latest data I have is of the 100 MIA 737 FO on reserve, half of them have not made it through requal., so are on paper only. Having to do checks and maintenance of all the planes in the desert has not helped matters.
And they, and most everyone, are getting ready to move into hire gear with hiring. Why? Demand has come back strongly. A lot of pilots took retirement (65 and early out offers). Short of pilots. Massive retirement wave still coming. Time and tide wait for no man, as the expression goes.