Airline industry may face delays, cancellations for a decade: Report.

The Looming Crisis in the Airline Industry

Get ready for‌ more flight delays and cancellations in the coming years. A recent⁤ report ​reveals that the aviation industry is facing a severe shortage of commercial pilots, mechanics, and ⁣air⁤ traffic controllers, and it’s ​only going to get worse.

The numbers ​speak for themselves. The industry is currently 32,000 professionals short of what is needed for smooth operations. Shockingly, some estimates suggest that by 2030, airlines ​worldwide could be short of 60,000 pilots.

This shortage⁢ is already causing ‍a significant increase in delays that are within the control of air⁤ carriers. In 2018, these delays accounted for⁣ 5.2% of all flights, but by 2023, that number had risen to 7.6%. Just recently, between June 24-27, a staggering 31,850 flights were delayed, representing one-third of all ⁢flights nationwide, a 25% increase from the previous year.

Southwest Airlines, for example, had to cancel a whopping 14,042 flights between December 24 and December 31, 2022, making up​ 72.3% of all canceled flights nationwide.

Addressing the Crisis

Airlines are well aware of the urgency to address this issue.​ Airlines-4-America, representing ⁢seven major carriers, has taken steps to secure a pipeline of new employees by establishing pilot training ‌programs, enhancing recruitment efforts, and implementing programs to overcome financial obstacles.

However, ⁢the shortage persists. “They ⁢are leaving planes on the ground because they don’t have enough people to fly them for ⁢ground crews⁢ or anything like that,” says Dean Headley, an emeritus associate professor at Wichita ​State University. “The airlines are doing about as much‌ as they can to improve staffing levels, training around 1,500 to 1,800⁢ pilots a year.”

But the problem extends beyond pilots. Kathleen Bangs, spokeswoman for flight tracking website FlightAware, highlights the shortage of mechanics, with about half of all airline maintenance being outsourced overseas. Attracting young people to become mechanics is crucial, but the industry must also address the increasing outsourcing of maintenance work.

Furthermore, the air traffic control sector is‍ also suffering.⁣ The ⁣CBS News analysis found that ⁤the aviation industry is currently ‍short ⁢of approximately‌ 3,000​ fully-certified air traffic controllers.

The Implications

This shortage ​affects everyone who travels by air. Joel English, the vice president of the Aviation​ Institute of Maintenance, warns that if not addressed, ticket prices will continue ⁤to rise, and delays ‍will persist.

The aviation‍ industry must act swiftly to attract⁣ and train new professionals to fill these critical roles. Otherwise,⁢ the future of air travel may be marred by chaos ​and frustration.