Swiss International Air โLines grapplesโ with Pilot Shortage, Cancels Flights Amidst Post-Pandemic โRecovery
Zurich, Switzerland -โ Swiss International Air โคlines (Swiss) is facing aโข notable pilot shortage,โค a challenge stemming fromโฃ pandemic-era disruptions to training programs and exacerbatedโค by a surge in passengerโ demand. While the airline’s flightโ school, the Europeanโ Flight Academy in Granges (SO), isโ operating atโ full capacity with approximately 100 students per cohort, the number of qualifiedโข pilots โremains insufficient to meet current operational needs.
The root of the problem lies โขin the temporary suspensionโ of pilotโ trainingโฃ duringโค theโ COVID-19 pandemic.Training programs were halted in 2020 and only resumed โคin theโฃ summer of 2022. This โdelay created a backlog โฃthat Swiss is now struggling โคto overcome as air travel reboundsโค sharply. The consequences have been felt by passengers,with approximately 1,400 flights โ- representingโฃ 1.5% โฃof the scheduled โคprogram – canceled duringโข the summer months.
Swiss has been reticentโข to publicly disclose the exact number of pilot vacancies. โคThough, the strain on existing flight crews is a growing concern, according to Aeropers,โฃ the Swissโฃ pilot union.โ “The flight plan is operating at 100%โ capacity,” โexplains Clemens Kopetz, president of Aeropers, “but many โof our colleagues are reporting unsustainable workloads.”
Part-Time Work Contributes โto theโข Challenge
Compounding the โขshortage is a growing trendโ towardsโค part-time work among Swiss pilots. Currently, โค40% of the airline’s pilots are โคemployed on a part-timeโฃ basis, further โreducing the available pool ofโ flight crew.โ While Swiss is actively pursuingโค external recruitment, the competition for experienced โฃpilots is fierce.
“We’ve had success recruitingโค pilotsโ for the Airbus A320 fleet,” notes Stefan-Kenan Scheib,โ a member of the SWISS air farm, “butโ finding โqualified candidates for the Airbus A330โค has proven more challenging.We are continuing โขour search, but โwe are facing strong competition from other airlines globally.” This recruitment challenge is occurring evenโข as parent โcompany Lufthansa โขplans to hire 10,000 newโฃ employeesโข in 2025, withโค 1,000 positions earmarked โfor Swiss.
despite the current difficulties, optimism prevails within the european Flight academy. โค “I see aโ positive โtrajectory, especially with the modernizationโค of the fleet, including the introduction โขof the new Airbus A350,” says Janis โZurbriggen, โa 21-year-oldโค pilot student fromโค Haut-Valais whoโ began his training in 2024.He anticipates earning โhis Line pilot license next โyear.
However, industry analysts predict the pilot shortage will persist in the short to medium term. To mitigate further โคdisruptions, Swiss โis relying on โขpartnerships with other airlines to supplement it’s flight โcrews. โฃTheโค airline assuresโ passengers it is โคindeed taking all possibleโ measures toโฃ avoid additional flight cancellations during the upcoming โขwinterโ season.
“The flight plan is operating at 100% capacity, but many of our colleagues are reporting unsustainable workloads.” – Clemens Kopetz, President โof aeropers
โข
The โsituation highlights the broader โฃchallengesโค facing the aviationโ industry as it recovers from the pandemic, emphasizing the โฃcriticalโ need for proactive investment in pilot training and workforceโ planning to ensure sustainable growth.
What are your thoughts on the pilot shortage? Share your experiences with flight disruptions โin the comments below! If you found this article informative, please consider subscribing โคto โคWorld Today News for the latest updates on global aviation and beyond.