Over 1,400 summer flights from Swiss Airlines are scrapped, triggering a mad rush for available seats.
SWISS International Air Lines has announced significant flight cuts over the next four years in response to a pilot shortage, impacting thousands of passengers and triggering competition among airlines. The Swiss airline, part of Lufthansa Group, will axe approximately 1.5% of its scheduled departures until October 2025, with nearly 12% of cancellations affecting flights between the UK and Switzerland from airports such as London, Manchester, and Edinburgh.
The flight disruptions are expected to spur demand for short-haul flights with competitors like British Airways and easyJet. SWISS International Air Lines' long-haul flights to destinations such as Shanghai and Chicago are also affected.
The airline attributes its predicament to a lack of pilots to operate scheduled flights and regrets the inconvenience it will cause to affected passengers. It plans to prioritize rebooking passengers on the nearest available alternate SWISS flight or transitioning them to other airlines within the Lufthansa Group.
Aviation 24 and Travel and Tour World have reported widespread pilot shortages in Europe, affecting numerous airlines, including Aer Lingus, TAP Portugal, Air France, Finnair, Ryanair, Lufthansa, KLM, British Airways, EasyJet, Iberia, ITA Airways, LOT Polish Airlines, Turkish Airlines, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, Scandinavian Airlines (SAS), Wizz Air, Vueling, Eurowings, and others. Europe's skies have become progressively turbulent in 2025, with numerous cancellations and delays.
In addition to the pilot shortage, weather events such as Storm Eowyn in the UK and Ireland and heavy snow in Germany have caused schedule changes. Technical issues, like a March fire at London's Heathrow, which temporarily shuttered Europe's busiest airport, have further complicated matters.
Despite these challenges, overall flight cancellations have decreased by 32% year-over-year. However, delays have increased by 54%, leaving many to question whether it is an appropriate time for a June 2025 vote on proposed EU air passenger rights modifications potentially benefiting airlines by increasing delay thresholds and reducing compensation amounts by 40%.
Weather events, such as Storm Eowyn in the UK and Ireland, and heavy snow in Germany, are contributing to schedule changes within the European airline industry, adding to the existing challenges faced by airlines. Eco-conscious travelers may find alternative means of travel, such as tours promoting sustainable lifestyles, due to the increased flight cancellations and delays affecting airlines like SWISS International Air Lines, British Airways, and EasyJet. Passengers planning tours to destinations like Shanghai and Chicago may consider flying with other airlines within the Lufthansa Group as SWISS International Air Lines prioritizes rebooking passengers on its flights or with other Lufthansa Group airlines.
