Black crisis for airlines. The staff is at an all-time low but the requests are increasing. Airplanes risk being left on the ground (and travelers too).
Summer has now entered definitively and, as never in the last two years, there is a desire to return to fully enjoy the relaxation missed since Covid broke into our lives.
It is true, however, that the pandemic has changed us. And, like it or not, we have to deal with the change triggered by an event that, for all of us, has been an absolute unicum, at least up to now. Something that until now, excluding those over a hundred years old, had only been studied on school books. Next to the urge to go back to living as before Covid, legitimate prudence remains alive. And, above all, the need to address a series of critical issues that emerged following the economic crisis resulting from the stop to consumption and social relations imposed by the anti-contagion measures. A picture that, of course, has also had an impact on the world of work. For the past few days, he had been furious the controversy over the lack of seasonal workerswith most of them attributing the reason to the unwillingness of young people to do their utmost in similar occupations, preferring assistance through measures such as the Citizenship Income.
A shortage of personnel which, apparently, did not concern only the tourism sector in the strict sense (accommodation facilities, restaurants, etc.) but also that related to travel. In this case, however, everything cannot be framed in the mere shortage of temporary staff. In fact, the crew of the planes and airports themselves is missing, from the pilots to the flight controllers, up to the airport staff. Or rather, there would not be enough to cope with the full-scale resumption of travel. Airlines talk about important numbers but the two years of cuts have made their weight felt. And, according to Lufthansa, 900 flights could be canceled shortly.
Personal alarm, unmanned aircraft: the reasons for the shortage
The alarm is worrying because the wording “shortly” means the month of July. Practically a disaster for a sector that has to restart and that, this summer, has the first real opportunity to do it properly. Not to mention that, for low-cost airlines, the cuts could be even more drastic. Airports have also reduced runways: Gatwick, for example, has cut flights by 10% for the months of July and August, as has Schiphol, in Amsterdam. Same thing in Paris, where another 10% was cut at Charles De Gaulle. The problem, according to the carriers, would be the drastic reduction of personnel and the necessary contracting of many tasks to external suppliers. Which means how a small accident can send the whole system into a tailspin. Imagine a possible strike.
Something similar happened in Belgium, where Ryanair employees crossed their arms in the name of fairer pay. A strike called for the days of 24, 25 and 26 June which, undoubtedly, will send the country’s airports into crisis. Also, a few days ago, Brussels airport had been forced to stop given the shortage of staff. A situation that is not helped by the historical moment, which makes it difficult to replenish the workforce. Both for the still uncertain outcomes of the pandemic, and for an objective difficulty in finding the right resources. Or at least enough. The losers should be the planes, or rather the flights. And, consequently, the travelers. All of which risk finding doubled prices for international flights and 20% for domestic ones. Another factor of chaos.
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