The massive shortage of personnel in air traffic is causing chaotic conditions at airports. The situation could even worsen during the holiday season, warns the professional association of cockpit staff in Germany.

"The acute shortage of staff is self-inflicted," says Stefan Herth, President of the Cockpit Association. “The days of outsourcing and the cost-cutting mantra are at an end because the system obviously no longer works in its current form. What the industry needs now is a concerted action by politicians, companies and trade unions to tackle the acute problems immediately, but also to get back on healthy feet in the long term. The industry has obviously lost its attractiveness for employees - this applies to all employees in the industry. Not only the employees but also the company benefit from a forward-looking personnel policy.” 

VC had already warned last summer that air traffic could only be restarted quickly after the corona crisis if employees were kept on board and called for a forward-looking personnel policy. Instead, companies have used the pandemic as an excuse to cut jobs and worsen working conditions. 

The state has supported companies with billions in aid to cushion the crisis, but failed to attach conditions. “In the end, job cuts were financed with state aid. Now that we are facing massive problems, the state must not shirk its responsibilities, but must work with companies and trade unions to stabilize air traffic," the professional association said in a press release.