It’s looking like another year of airport madness as airlines battle against supply issues

 
When you turn up to the airport for your winter or summer break, there’s that feeling of where did all these people come from? And why aren’t there more staff?

It’s been an ongoing problem since the aviation industry restarted in the ashes of the pandemic.

But it’s been a year and a half since the lockdowns ended for most of the western world – and yet the queues are still long and the frustrations of flying continue.

The US Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts a need for 18,000 pilots annually over the next decade, with Boeing alone aiming to hire 10,000 manufacturing and engineering professionals this year.

Here’s an example how staff shortages are impacting the industry. Rex is an Australian airline. It flies mostly regional but took on a fleet of 737s to fly the major Australian capital cities.

Rex Airlines has forecast a $35m loss for the financial year, with the regional airline citing a lack of pilots and engineers, as well as a drop in business travel.

A sign that this is still an issue of supply and demand.

Aviation journalist Jordan Chong tells Ticker News that it’s not at all surprising that Australian and global airlines are still struggling with staff shortages.

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