A surging Peach Aviation has been dealt setbacks by a shortage of pilots, and is now being forced to cancel flights in the busy summer season.

Peach may have to cancel some 2,072 flights between May and October, the company announced on Apr. 30.  The cancellations include 150 flights connecting Naha to Kansai and 198 flights between Naha and Ishigaki. Already confirmed by the low cost carrier are the Osaka ~ Hong Flights that will not fly starting in June.

The airline accredits the disruptions to its growing schedule as “due to an unavoidable shortage of flight crew personnel.”  Airline officials called the industry’s increasingly competitive environment” enough to cause a “shortage in personnel, as well as an unexpected number of absences due to illness among Peach flight crews.”

Peach says flyers booked on its flights that are canceled can switch to another Peach flight without difficulty, and they can do it free of charge.  If no flights are available, Peach will refund the customer’s money.

• 
• NO DATA