Summer Flights Taking a Dive: Lufthansa's Swiss Subsidiary Scrambles Due to Pilot Shortage
Lufthansa's affiliate Swiss is forced to scrap around 1400 flights during summer season.
Depending on your vacation plans, the skies might be more difficult to navigate for passengers of the Swiss Lufthansa subsidiary this summer. Over a thousand flights are scheduled to be scrapped between April and October, much to the dismay of eager travelers. But why's it so hard for Swiss to take off?
It turns out that the reason for the flight cancellations is brewing internally, courtesy of a combination of unforeseen complications and unrealistic expectations. The shortage of pilots affecting both long-haul and various short and medium-haul flights has been confirmed by a spokesperson for Swiss, in conversation with "Aerotelegraph."
The cancellations account for about 1.5% of Swiss's planned flights for the period, and numerous factors are at play. Unprecedentedly high rates of prolonged pilot absences, primarily due to pregnancies and accidents, are one major contributor. Coupled with the retraining of crews for the latest Airbus A350 aircraft, the shortage of available pilots is intensified. Additionally, the implementation of a new collective labor agreement with improved work-life balance has increased the demand for pilots by around 70 full-time positions.
There's another wrench in the works: the Airbus A220 jets require considerable engine maintenance, which reduces their availability. While there's no shortage of machines for the Airbus A320 medium-haul jets, obtaining crews remains a challenge. Swiss has exhausted any available external assistance—from partners and Lufthansa—to help ease the crisis.
For now, Swiss is relying on older pilots to delay their retirement and temporary hourly increases for part-time pilots to alleviate the immediate pilot shortage. In the distant future, Swiss plans to expand cockpit training capacity and recruit up to 110 new pilots every year to ensure longevity.
- Economy
- Pilot Shortage
- Labor Agreement
Sources: [ntv.de][1], [as/dpa][2]
[1]: https://www.ntv.de/wirtschaft/lufthansas-tochtergesellschaft-swiss-storniert-1400-fluege-im-sommer-ueberschwangliche-pilotenmangel-krankheiten-artikel-20769567.html[2]: https://www.aerotelegraph.de/flugzeuge-und-fluggesellschaften/pilotenmangel-bei-swiss-storniert-1400-fluege-bis-october-2025.html
- In an attempt to address the ongoing pilot shortage at Swiss, the company is implementing a community policy focused on vocational training, aiming to recruit up to 110 new pilots each year.
- As travelers adjust to the changing landscape of summer flights, they might consider the impact of Swiss's pilot shortage on their vacation plans, and factor in the potential influence of lifestyle choices on their career path, such as pursuing vocational training to become a pilot.
