MoneyBusiness

Actions

Airlines face staff shortages as summer travel season approaches

Many airlines are looking to fill thousands of job openings ahead of the busy summer travel season.
Airlines Face Staff Shortages As Summer Travel Season Approaches
Flight-Disruptions
Posted
and last updated

In an effort to keep flights in the air this summer, airlines are racing to boost their staff numbers to new heights.

Representatives with United Airlines say they're hoping a Chicago-based career fair will help fill some of their many job openings.

The airline's openings include customer service agents, technicians, flight attendants and some corporate positions.

Despite shortages, United hopes to expand transatlantic and domestic service this summer. But other airlines, like Alaska and JetBlue, are cutting back flight schedules because of those same staff shortages.

Representatives with United say they are hopeful that competitive wage offerings and benefits packages will help capture attention. But industry experts warn it will take some time and a continued decline in COVID-19 cases for airline staffing to fully rebound to where it was before the pandemic began.

It's not just airlines that are looking to bolster staff. Walmart has announced it's raising pay for first-year long-haul truck drivers to $95,000 in an effort to expand its force amid high consumer demand.

JPMorgan Chase is another company looking to fill openings, announcing this week that it hired thousands of people with criminal records to fill its worker needs.

Newsy is the nation’s only free 24/7 national news network. You can find Newsy using your TV’s digital antenna or stream for free. See all the ways you can watch Newsy here.   

,

Weather

Daily Forecast

View Hourly Forecast

Day

Conditions

HI / LO

Precip

Monday

01/12/2026

Foggy

-° / 39°

4%

Tuesday

01/13/2026

Fog Late

62° / 40°

6%

Wednesday

01/14/2026

Clear

65° / 41°

5%

Thursday

01/15/2026

Mostly Clear

68° / 44°

3%

Friday

01/16/2026

Mostly Clear

64° / 42°

3%

Saturday

01/17/2026

Mostly Clear

64° / 42°

3%

Sunday

01/18/2026

Partly Cloudy

63° / 42°

4%

Monday

01/19/2026

Mostly Clear

63° / 44°

3%