Airlines struggle to keep up with passenger demand as travel rebounds
KTVU s Tom Vacar reports.
Though air travel has returned to near 2019 pre-pandemic levels, airlines are struggling as they strive to meet service levels needed to fulfill customer demands.
Thousands of flights have been canceled or delayed, some of which could have been avoided.
Airlines received $54 billion in federal pandemic aid, much of it to keep paying employees. But, the Trump administration said airlines could offer early retirements, buyouts, and leaves of absence which the airlines pursued vigorously, reducing their workforces. Now, those airlines say they don’t have enough employees to fly and service the planes.