American Airlines Cancels Hundreds Of Flights Due To Multiple Issues

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American Airlines canceled hundreds of flights over the weekend and into Monday (June 21) due to significant staffing and maintenance issues.

ABC News reports a total of 123 flights were canceled on Saturday (June 19), 178 on Sunday (June 20) and 97 on Monday as of Sunday afternoon, citing a high number of sick calls, as well as other staffing and maintenance issues as the cause.

The airline told ABC News that most of its cancelations were on A320 and 737 aircrafts and the cancelations could continue at a rate of at least 50 to 60 flights per day for the rest of June, as well as 50 to 70 flights through July.

"We made targeted changes with the goal of impacting the fewest number of customers by adjusting flights in markets where we have multiple options for re-accommodation," American Airlines said in a statement to ABC News.

American Airlines said it will attempt to notify customers of cancelations in advance and provide details on how to rebook on alternative flights through its app moving forward.

All U.S. airlines and the Transportation Security Administration have struggled to meet staffing demands following a recent spike in air travel amid looser COVID-19 restrictions.

Thousands of employees were offered early retirements and buyouts amid a halt in air travel at the beginning of the pandemic in March 2020, but now airlines are desperate to once again fill those positions with a return to traveling.

America Airlines is also in need of more employees for its catering contractor and wheelchair operator positions, ABC News reports.


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