Swiss International Air Lines has removed 1,400 flights from its summer schedule due to a shortage of available pilots, citing unexpected developments and overly optimistic planning as contributing factors.
Overall, 1.5% of flights scheduled between April and October are being cancelled, affecting both short-haul and long-haul routes.
External support from partners and Lufthansa, the German parent group that also owns Brussels Airlines, has already been exhausted, with reports suggesting that older pilots are delaying retirement to provide short-term assistance.
The Swiss carrier plans to expand training for flight crew in the long term, aiming to hire up to 110 new pilots each year.
