7 airline workers from baggage handlers to pilots — reveal what it's like to work during this summer's travel chaos
Hannah Towey,Sam Tabahriti
INA FASSBENDER/AFP via Getty Images
- Understaffed airlines are struggling to handle the recent surge in travel demand, causing mass delays.
- 7 airline and airport workers told Insider how this summer's flight chaos has impacted their jobs.
For some flight attendants, what was supposed to be a dream job has transformed into a "nightmare" this summer. Two JetBlue flight attendants told Insider they aren't getting assigned enough flights to pay their bills.
JetBlue planes Photo by STEFANI REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images
An Air Canada flight attendant said flight crews are jumping through hoops to be paid for boarding and ground time, and are worried that mass delays will cause a resurgence in unruly passenger incidents.
wsfurlan/Getty Images
In over 20 years working for Air Canada, the flight attendant said she's never seen employee morale this low, even after 9/11 and at the peak of the pandemic.
Josef Hanus/Shutterstock
If a pilot runs out of flight time during a delay, passengers may be asked to get off the plane if they've already boarded. An American Airlines pilot told Insider the policy is "embarrassing" and that pilots "absolutely hate" doing this to passengers.
Pilots in a cockpit. choja/Getty Images
An Air Canada ramp worker who loads luggage on and off planes at the Toronto Pearson International Airport told Insider that "everybody's overworked," and some ramp workers are on the verge of quitting.
Luggage starts to pile up at Pearson International Airport on June 10 2022. Steve Russell/Toronto Star via Getty Images.
He said the airline is facing several issues, including new management and a security clearance backlog that's preventing recent hires from being able to work at the airport.
Workers under an Air Canada plane on the tarmac at Toronto Pearson International Airport. May 18, 2014. Randy Risling/Toronto Star via Getty Images
Two employees at WestJet and Air Canada who handle hundreds of bags each day shared the inside scoop of what they believe is behind the surge in mishandled baggage, and 10 tips for passengers trying to minimize the risk of losing their bag.
Unclaimed luggage piles up at London Heathrow Airport on July 8, 2022. Paul Ellis/AFP via Getty Images
Leah, a flight attendant for a major US airline, described how her job has changed since the pandemic. She said the position consists more of consoling, comforting, and de-escalating passengers than it did previously.
Courtesy of Leah
Are you an airline or airport worker? Have a story to share? Contact this reporter from a non-work address at htowey@insider.com.
Popular Right Now
Popular Keywords
Advertisement