American Airlines will cancel nearly 1,000 of its scheduled flights in July due to crew shortages, according to multiple media reports.
The airline will slash 950 flights during the first 13 days of July, representing about 1% of its scheduled operations for the month, according to a report from Bloomberg.
“The sudden jump in demand fueled by people tired of staying close to home has strained airlines’ ability to rebuild operations cut back amid the onset of the pandemic last year,” the report reads.
“Pilots who took leave and those who were switched to new types of planes have had to be retrained as flight demand has recovered to near-2019 levels.”
In a statement to USA Today, an American Airlines spokesperson said the cancellations are a proactive measure ahead of what is forecast to be a busy travel period.
“We never want to disappoint, and feel these schedule adjustments will help ensure we can take good care of our customers and team members and minimize surprises at the airport,” spokesperson Andrea Koos said.
While American hasn’t announced which flights will be axed in July, the airline will likely make operations changes that have as small an effect as possible on travelers.
The Texas-based carrier flies nonstop to Costa Rica from Dallas, Miami and Charlotte. It’s also adding or resuming routes from New York City, Phoenix and Austin later this year.
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