Airlines cancel hundreds of flights before summer travel season because of pilot shortage

Faced with staffing shortages, airlines are canceling thousands of flights heading into the busy summer travel season.

Leading the trend has been Southwest Airlines, which has cut nearly 20,000 flights, according to a report from The Dallas Morning News. Its goal is to hire 10,000 new workers this year.

“I go through the Whataburger drive-thru and I pay and get my bag, and stapled to the bag is a job application,” Southwest CEO Robert Jordan joked this year. “That’s what it’s come to.”