JetBlue, like Alaska Airlines, has had problems with flight cancellations due to overly optimistic scheduling versus crewing availability. As a direct result, JetBlue will reduce its flight schedule for the summer by 8-10%. Alaska Airlines will also reduce its schedule by 2% and explained what led to the cancellations on its official blog.

JetBlue cancellations disrupting lives

The above tweet is just a sample of the current sentiment floating around the Twittersphere with regards to JetBlue, and not all of it is quite so G-rated. This is the same JetBlue that wants to merge with Spirit Airlines.

This is also the same JetBlue that, according to FlightAware, had 33% of its flights canceled and another 35% delayed on Sunday, April 3rd. The problems have continued into the most recent weekend, when, on Saturday, April 9, JetBlue canceled 18% of its flights (191), and 48% of its flights were delayed. On Sunday, April 10, 13% of flights or 146 were canceled, with 37% or 407 flights delayed.

Meanwhile, the same Spirit that JetBlue wants to merge with, again according to FlightAware, axed 14% of its flights (115) yesterday and delayed 38%. Mass US flight cancellations are ongoing from these two airlines.

JetBlue trims schedule while flight attendants offered incentives to work sick and the CEO takes Amtrak

In an internal e-mail leaked to CNBC, Joanna Geraghty, JetBlue’s COO, and president admitted that,

“We’ve already reduced May capacity 8-10%, and you can expect to see a similar size capacity pull for the remainder of the summer. ... Despite these challenges and, based on your feedback that the schedule is wound too tight, we know the best plan is to reduce capacity now. ... In the meantime, any and all ideas are welcome.”

Even though JetBlue has hired 2,500 new workers and plans to hire 5,000 in New York City alone - this is not enough. It's gotten to the point, even with COVID-19 a lingering threat to public health and the aviation industry, where JetBlue is offering a $1,000 bonus to flight attendants to not call in sick, even if they aren't feeling on top of the world.

A more welcome idea, according to JetBlue internal e-mails leaked to CNBC, is $100 bonuses to flight attendants for picking up open trips, and part-time flight attendants getting $500 for meeting attendance goals.

Of course, one could be JetBlue CEO Robin Hayes and take Amtrak - the US national passenger railroad - instead of seeing how JetBlue is handling these crises first-hand:

Alaska Airlines also making corrections

Alaska Airlines, which had a serious cancellation problem first weekend of April coupled with pilots doing informational picketing on their own time ended with 9% of Alaska Airlines' flights canceled on April 1. This was followed by 7% of flights canceled on Saturday, April 2 and 6% of flights canceled on Sunday, April 3. Flight Aware tracking is showing Alaska Airlines repeating that cancellation rate this weekend.

As such, Alaska Airlines is taking a more responsible approach. In a detailed blog that began with a sincere apology, Alaska Airlines made clear that schedules are made three months in advance but the schedules presumed 63 more pilots than available due to training delays. But also an airline sentiment that,

When pilots come to Alaska Airlines, we want them to have the best training in the business. That takes time and cannot be rushed.

The airline's official blog also made clear that the pilots' informational picket of April 1 did not cause a single cancellation. Rather the pilot shortage did and Alaska Airlines is working diligently to remedy this. Also, Alaska Airlines is, "Reducing 2% of flights through the end of June to match our current pilot capacity" with the reductions planning to appear in mid-April as schedule adjustments instead of cancelations.

Is Alaska Airlines looking at a pilot's strike?

However, more cancellations may be inbound from more than the industry pilot shortage. Recent mediation attempts, according to a Seattle Times report, collapsed a day early on Thursday. According to Will McQuillen, Air Line Pilots' Association's Alaska Airlines council chairperson in the same Seattle Times article,

“It’s our strong recommendation that Alaska pilots prepare financially for a much bigger fight to achieve our collective goals. ... A strike might lie ahead if legally sanctioned.”

Matters hinge on the federal mediator declaring an impasse and a subsequent 30-day cooling-off period between the two parties, among other steps. Clearly, labor tensions are growing between Alaska Airlines' management and the pilot's union.

How do you think cancellations should be handled by airlines? Let us know in the comments with civility, please.

SOURCE: Alaska Airlines, CNBC, Seattle Times,