Alaska Airlines cancels hundreds of flights as it faces a pilot shortage

Alaska Airlines said 40 flights had been cancelled across the country Monday due to a pilot shortage. It was the latest series of cancelations while the airline is in negotiations with the Air Line Pilots Association union over a new contract for its pilots.

At least 6,000 Alaska passengers were stuck at an airport Monday, the company announced online. At Sea-Tac alone, 30 flights had been canceled by Monday afternoon, according to a flight tracker.

Lester Mather and his wife waited at a ticketing area for nearly 12 hours after their flight to South Carolina was canceled.

“You can't get the food, you can't get to anything, none of the stores," Mather said sitting next to their suitcases. "You got Hudson's and you got a little bar down here and that's all you get.”

The Mathers were supposed to fly non-stop out of Sea-Tac around 9 a.m. Monday. Instead they were bumped to a flight that left after 6 p.m.

“Now we're going to go to Kansas City, Dallas, and then to Charleston. So 18 hours," he said.

Alaska has canceled hundreds of flights since Friday as the airline negotiates a new contract with the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) union. Pilots held an informational picket line outside Sea-Tac Airport on Friday.

A union spokesperson wrote in an email that this current situation was avoidable and claims ALPA warned Alaska last year about pilots moving to another airline or quitting the industry altogether during the pandemic.

"The company needs to agree on a new contract that is in line with contracts at competing airlines in order to attract and retain more pilots and we hope this happens quickly or we fear this trend will continue," the statement reads.

Jenny Wetzel, vice president of labor relations for Alaska Airlines said in a statement that the company has, "put a package on the table that’s competitive and addresses the issues most important to our pilots."

Lester Mather says he supports the pilots and hopes they receive an improved contract.

"What Alaska needs to do take care of these pilots that took care of them," Mather said.

Alaska said Monday that more flight cancellations are possible.