On the long Independence Day weekend, chaos reigns in air traffic in the USA. On Saturday alone, more than 600 flights were canceled until the followingnoon (local time) due to staff shortages.
These were domestic flights as well as international flights with US cities as the destination or departure, as reported by the website flightaware.com, which specializes in flight connections. Another more than 3,300 flights were delayed on Saturday.
According to the website, 587 US flights had already been canceled on Friday. For Sunday, too, it became apparent that many passengers would once more be stuck at the airports – more than 100 flights have already been canceled.
High petrol prices do not dampen the desire to travel
Since the chaos comes as no surprise, many travelers in the United States have given up flying as a means of transport from the outset. Despite high gas prices, a record 42 million citizens will drive at least 50 miles (80 kilometers) before the holiday on Monday, the AAA predicted.
As in Europe, the aviation industry in the USA, which has been badly hit by the corona pandemic, is also struggling with a massive shortage of staff.
Numerous flights in Spain and at Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris have been canceled
In the midst of the holiday season, 15 flights to and from Spain were canceled on Saturday due to a strike by Spanish cabin crew at the low-cost airlines Easyjet and Ryanair. There were delays on 175 other flights to Spain, the unions said. Ryanair is said to be on strike for another twelve days. Dozens of flights were also canceled at Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris. This was following an eight percent wage increase and one-off payments had been agreed for Easyjet employees in Germany on Wednesday.
At Charles de Gaulle Airport, the fire brigade went on strike on Thursday, which is why several runways were closed as a precautionary measure. According to the airport operator ADP, every fifth flight was canceled between 7 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Saturday.
Every sixth flight was canceled on Thursday and Friday. Paris Orly Airport was not affected by the strike. The summer holidays in France start next week.
Spain travelers face a test of patience
According to the Spanish trade union USO, work at Ryanair is to be stopped three more times for four days each at the ten Spanish airports served by the Irish airline. The strike will therefore be from July 12th to 15th, from July 18th to 21st and from July 25th to 28th.
At the Easyjet airline in Spain, almost 450 flight attendants have been called on to go on strike this weekend, as well as from July 15th to 18th and from July 29th to 31st. They demand the same working conditions as for Easyjet employees in other EU countries.
At Ryanair, the strike began on June 24. The workers are demanding better working conditions for the 1,900 Spanish cabin crew members. According to the Irish company, it brings the most passengers to Spain and offers “more than 650 connections” from 27 Spanish airports. (SDA/AFP/kes)
