The (summer) drama with announcement has begun - chaotic scenes at airlines and airports from A to Z
It all started with the start of the pandemic in early 2020. While the internal and external newsletters, updates, briefings and press releases from the top decision-makers in the aviation industry were filled with “we can do it” and other perseverance slogans, the disillusionment in the executive floors grew from week to week. In many places, “we can do it” turned into “we have to save what can be saved”. In 2020, airlines and airports around the world saw staggering layoffs. One worse and higher than the other.
Those who were “allowed” to stay were on short-time work in many places. Now, however, unsure of what the future would bring, other parts began to voluntarily throw in the towel and look for a new professional mainstay. Even if this effect may have helped in the short term to reduce the monthly fixed costs in the aviation industry, a not inconsiderable part of these former colleagues is lost forever. An industry that was previously considered very attractive and had been spoiled by growth for years had lost the magic of the associated professional security in the course of the pandemic.
In the spring, summer and winter of 2021, the slogans of perseverance had meanwhile become slogans of hope. In the summer of 2022 "there we go again", the "ReStart" is coming and the airlines in particular have already begun to outdo each other in their broadcasts:
- "70% of the "pre-corona capacity"...,
- 75% …. 80% … 90% etc. etc.
Last winter, confidence seemed to be almost limitless. But with which staff? Of course, no high-ranking manager stood up and acted like a grumpy person in an industry that was just beginning to see a slight upturn. But there were a few who timidly suggested that "it could be tight and tight in the summer". In recent weeks, ONE fact has become increasingly clear - TIGHT is a massive understatement. Anyone who keeps their eyes and ears open for news from the aviation industry these days is increasingly stumbling across words like "chaos", "cancellations", "staff shortages" or "delays".
But there were also messages like: "The guests have forgotten how to fly" to read. It may be that part of the long queues in front of security checks at Europe's airports result from this, but that's only ONE part of the truth. In the meantime, the first calls are already being made to use the military at the airports in the UK, which are currently sinking into chaos. How so? Because crowds of people across the country had to wait up to four hours before check-in and security checks and in the end still had to wave behind their plane, if it wasn't completely empty, to start its journey.
In neighboring Amsterdam, the situation was so hopeless that one of the largest European airlines decided not to fly passengers within Europe there anymore... days after the sale of flight tickets to AMS had to be suspended for a weekend. However, the situation in the DACH region is not significantly better for numerous airlines and airports. In the past weekends around Ascension Day and Pentecost, the first airports and airlines went to their knees, as expected. partly open; partly behind closed doors, one problem is named as the reason: lack of staff.
But what are the reasons? On the one hand there would be the training, the security checks and the induction, all of this costs money of course, but something much more valuable these days = time. Time that very few have at an airport. On the other hand, a critical question must also be asked as to how aviation should be made attractive to potential new entrants. An industry that is often defined by hourly and/or (limited) part-time contracts, in places that are often in operation 24/7, 365 days a year, sometimes somewhere in the middle of nowhere or far from the city gates. Almost two decades ago, a trainer once said to me, "In the first week I can see directly whether someone is made for the airport, you have to love it here".
So did the airlines suddenly want too much, too fast? Of course, after almost 2,5 years of mixed to bad business, sales must be bubbling up, but is the whole thing going to backfire completely? When delays and compensation as well as the costs for subcharters go beyond any financial framework? It's too late now. The child fell into the well, at least for this summer. The next few weeks will probably not be the nicest, delays and cancellations, all of this will probably no longer be avoidable to a not inconsiderable extent.
All I can say is: I wish all employees and passengers as much inner peace and patience as possible in the coming weeks, combined with strong nerves. May all the people who are spending their first year working at an airport this year please not think about quitting immediately after the first few days and weeks, the aviation industry needs every helping hand right now! After the experiences of the last 8 weeks (Easter, Ascension Day and Pentecost), one thing can be predicted with certainty: This summer will be hot at Europe's airports! (and by that I don't mean the weather forecast). HOW hot, we will sum up elsewhere in a few weeks...
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