Wisconsin
Pilot shortage blamed for drop in airline traffic, in La Crosse and elsewhere
The La Crosse Airport usually sees an increase in passenger numbers during May, when the summer travel season begins. But not this year.
The local airport had 5700 passengers in May, down about 300 from April, and that seems to be the result of pilot and crew shortages affecting the airline industry.
Airport director Ian Turner says markets the size of La Crosse will see fewer flights for a while.
The cutback means that for now, La Crosse will have only two flights a day to Chicago on American Airlines, and two Delta flights per day to Minneapolis.
American and Delta both say they’re having trouble hiring pilots and other crew members. But a major pilots’ union denies such a shortage, and blames “scheduling exuberance” by airlines for a drop in passenger numbers.
Turner says the airlines will bring bigger planes to La Crosse this summer, to make up for the reduction in flights.