Jun 28, 2007 12:10 am US/Central
Lack Of Pilots Means NWA Cancellations Stacking Up
by Esme Murphy
(WCCO)
Experts say travelers flying Northwest can expect a higher-than-normal number of cancellations at least through the end of the week.
According to the Web site
flightstats.com, as of 11:30 p.m. the Minnesota-based carrier had racked up 239 flight cancellations across the country for just Wednesday with 45 of those flights that were supposed to take off from Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport.
"We were boarding the plane and all of a sudden they told us it was canceled," said New Yorker Paul Santorro.
He tried to rebook but the soonest he and his business partner can get home is Thursday night. He said this is the last time he will fly Northwest.
"We are going to avoid this airline if we can," Santorro said.
Northwest Airlines blames the cancellations, in part, on too many pilots calling in sick. Pilots disagree, saying they are understaffed.
"We let the company know months ago we were concerned about the staffing levels for pilots," said NWA pilot Monty Montgomery.
Sources tell WCCO-TV that the pilots union is upset that pilots laid off during the airlines bankruptcy weren't rehired in anticipation of the busy summer travel season. The new contract requires them to log 90 flight hours a month, which is up from 80 with their old contract.
Bad weather earlier this month meant many pilots are hitting that mark this week.
"Northwest pilots are running out of hours," said airline analyst Terry Trippler.
Trippler said the arrival of a new month will end the cancellation wave but the end of July and the end of August could also be a problem.
"They are following all the contract. They say they are fatigued, they are not able to take any overtime, so we have this problem at the end of the month," said Trippler.
The popular business travel Web site
Joesentme.com is advising passengers not to book on Northwest during late July and August.
If you already have booked a flight Trippler said pay the $25 rebooking fee to get as early a flight as possible. That way if it's canceled you will have a whole lot more flights to choose from as you try and rebook.
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