Airline staffing problems leaving passengers stranded

Several airlines are experiencing staffing issues and that is leaving some passengers stranded or not going on their trips at all.

One airline is doing what it can to change this trend. Desperate times call for desperate measures. Allegiant Air needs to hire people and fast. So, the company has partnered with CareerSource to hold a job fair. And, because times are so tough, Allegiant took the dramatic step of canceling every single flight to Raleigh, North Carolina for the month of May except one.

People now have to make other arrangements. Every flight these days is a gamble. Will the plane arrive? Will the crew arrive? Or will your flight be delayed to canceled?

WINK News met Tracey who was traveling from Philadelphia. “It disrupts your day. You’re supposed to come in at 1 o’clock now you’re coming in at 6 o’clock and now your whole day is ruined,” said Tracey.

Lynn Lazos was flying to New York. “First it was supposed to leave a little bit earlier then they say,” said Lazos.

William Mitterko was flying to Ohio. “It just showed on time and then I would find out right as I would get to the gate it would just say delayed,” Mitterko said.

If you name an airline, the chances are high that they’ve had delayed flights within the last month. Southwest and Jet Blue blamed service issues. American Airlines blamed the weather. But, mostly, they simply don’t have people to work.

Mitterko knows the struggle all too well. “It’s awful like the last 5 flights I had it was all different airlines.. frontier spirit united all of them were delayed canceled,” Mitterko said.

He finally made it to Southwest Florida but when will he make it home? “Fingers crossed,” he said.

On Tuesday, Allegiant hosted job fairs so the airline can fill its more than 200 positions at the Punta Gorda airport alone. Angela Kolhorst works with Allegiant Air. Kohlhorst said, “The only way that we are going to be able to keep business good, is to keep people in there and working.”

Allegiant will hold job fairs again on Wednesday and next week, and of course, could be after that until all the jobs are filled.

So, fly at your own risk until every airline solves its labor crisis.