Alaska Airlines has warned that it may struggle to maintain its planned flight schedule after a record number of cabin crew called in sick, raising the risk of cancellations. This development comes at a time when rising influenza cases across the United States are impacting the aviation sector, prompting several major airlines to activate contingency plans.
Record Level of Illness Reports
Alaska Airlines Vice President of Inflight Services Allen Thieman stated in an internal memo to employees that a record number of cabin crew reported sick on Saturday. According to Thieman, more than 540 cabin crew members are currently unable to work. As a result, the airline may be forced to cancel flights.
To cover staffing shortages, the company is offering incentives to cabin crew who are on leave or vacation to take additional flights. While cancellations have so far remained limited thanks to these measures, operational disruptions have occurred. On Saturday, 32 flights were cancelled, while 326 flights, representing 37 percent of the schedule, experienced delays. On Sunday, 34 cancellations and 160 delays were reported.
Other Major Airlines Also on Alert: “Level 3” Emergency
The situation is not limited to Alaska Airlines. Frontier, JetBlue, and Spirit Airlines have also activated emergency action plans in response to rising illness reports in recent days.
- Spirit Airlines: Company management stated that, in addition to winter conditions and air traffic control shortcomings, illness reports during the holiday period increased by 250 percent compared to previous periods. Spirit announced that reserve crew resources have been fully exhausted and that it has moved to a “Level 3” emergency plan.
- JetBlue: A similar situation has emerged at JetBlue. Just before the New Year, one in five cabin crew members reported being ill, prompting the airline to describe the situation as “unsustainable.”
- Frontier Airlines: While some airlines have opted to offer incentives, Frontier Airlines has taken a different approach. Suggesting that not all absences may be due to genuine illness, the airline has begun requiring medical certificates from staff using sick leave.
