United cancels the service at Willard; shortage of pilots cited

SAVOY – Just one year after the addition of Willard's flights

Willard's executive director, Gene Cossey, has confirmed the cancellation Monday.

"September 4 will be their last day of service for some time," he said. "At this point, we do not know what their plans will be after that. "

He reported a pilot shortage on a national scale.

" This affects all their carriers ional. They are not able to provide enough flights to the markets they want to serve now, "he said.

Last June, United began three daily flights with 150 daily seats combined between Willard and O. Hare International Airport. in Chicago.

He joined Willard's American Airlines service at O ​​& # 39; Hare and Dallas-Ft. Worth helped Willard to increase by 12% the number of passengers departing last year.

"They have been an excellent partner," said Cossey.

But "we received a call on Friday morning" Willard will be one of three regional airports across the United States to lose his service to O & # 39; Hare starting Sept. 5, according to the carrier. United, Rachael Rivas, as well as Mobile, Alabama and Manchester, New Hampshire.

"As we continue to maximize our home network and better serve our customers, we are adapting some of our regional flights to three cities at our Chicago hub this fall," Rivas said in a statement. "These changes to the schedule will allow us to continue to focus on the flights and the connecting opportunities that they enjoy the most."

Airlines face a shortage of pilots since at least 2013 When a new congressional rule increased the number of training hours of airline pilots needed from 250 to 1500. With the requirement to retire at the age of 65, the companies sometimes scramble to find pilots.

"It's getting harder and harder for people to become a new airline pilot," said Cossey. "We are looking at a significant reduction in the number of pilots over the next five or ten years."

Even while there, United's service may have suffered from the shortage, Cossey said. had some flights canceled or reassigned, "he said." I do not know if it's because of the shortage of pilot or other reasons, but there were some here or there, sometimes for the weather. "

And last year, American dropped a few flights for a few months Josse aboard planes and pilots, said Cossey in February

when Willard announced last February that United was returning for the first time since 1993, officials were optimistic about the increase in the number of airlines and flights.I still talk to them about other destinations, "said Mr. Cossey at the time. "If this succeeds extremely well, they will likely consider opening a market. They will look at the East Coast and West Coast markets, if it works very well for them, and we are very optimistic that this will be the case.

Last week, officials in the region celebrated their 10 years of success. Lee Raider and Bruce Rauner in a radio interview on the fact that Champaign-Urbana could not hold tech companies because she had "no means of convenient transportation" and other problems perceived. (Rauner is apologized to Customs Union officials and is scheduled to visit three companies in the region on Tuesday.)

US service seemed to be good, adding customers without taking Americans away

. According to Cossey, United's flights reached about 52% last year, with a fill rate reaching 75% in October.

In May, Mr. Cossey stated that there were many requests for new flights and airlines.

"There are a million people a year who want to come in and out of our region, and we only have 300,000 seats"

United's Friday call was particularly devastating.

"It's extremely disappointing. It's a big setback for all the growth we've made, "said Cossey." We understand that some things are beyond the control of United. "

Customers will still be able to book United flights up to $ 30,000. To September 4, said Cossey, and Rivas said that United would join anyone who would book flights to propose alternatives

About a dozen people were working for United in Willard, says Cossey.

" They will have to be relocated, if they want to continue with them, "he said. [ad_2]
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