A 10% reduction in daily flights has put fresh pressure on the carrier’s bottom line. Even though cutting capacity can save some immediate operating costs, the airline still needs to hire more pilots — a costly and time-consuming task that may limit any long-term savings and is worrying investors.
What happened
On Tuesday the airline trimmed about one in ten of its daily departures. The move appears to be an attempt to manage crew shortages and improve schedule reliability. But reducing flights doesn’t erase the need to recruit and train pilots, which keeps fixed and variable costs elevated.
Why the pilot shortage matters
- Recruitment is expensive: Hiring experienced pilots or training new ones involves high upfront costs and months of lead time.
- Operational strain: Fewer pilots mean tighter rosters, more reliance on overtime, and higher disruption risk when illness or delays occur.
- Regulatory limits: Rest rules and licensing requirements restrict how quickly the airline can expand flying even after hiring.
Investor concerns
Investors are watching two things closely: margins and predictability. Cutting flights can improve short-term reliability but may reduce revenue and raise unit costs if aircraft are underutilized. Meanwhile, the salary and training spend required to staff up will pressure margins until the pilot pipeline is rebuilt.
Impact on passengers
Passengers could see fewer options and potentially higher fares on certain routes if capacity remains reduced. On the positive side, a smaller, well-staffed schedule can mean fewer last-minute cancellations and smoother operations for those who can book confirmed seats.
Outlook
The carrier faces a trade-off: maintain a larger schedule and risk operational chaos from crew shortages, or run a tighter operation and accept lower capacity and near-term revenue hits. How quickly it can hire and retain pilots will determine whether costs fall back under control — and whether investors regain confidence.