Travel’s Labor Problem Now as Surge in Demand Leaves Operators Scrambling
Photo Credit: Travelers continue to flock to markets like Miami Beach (pictured). But hotels, airlines, and other travel sectors are struggling to meet demand. Flickr / Anthony Quintano
Skift Take
A travel labor shortage isn't what anyone was expecting during a pandemic, but traveler confidence heading into the summer heavily outpaces the ability of many business owners to call back furloughed workers or hire more people from overseas.
The U.S. travel sector once again faces a pre-pandemic problem that would have been unthinkable even weeks ago: a worker shortage.
Delta cancelled about 100 flights due to pilot shortages earlier this month. At the same time, it opened up middle seats, which had been blocked as a pandemic safety measure, a month earlier than planned to accommodate higher passenger volume. Uber reported last week customer demand is returning faster than driver availability, and it plans to increase driver incentives to boost labor, according to a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
Hoteliers, especially in leisure markets like Cape Cod and the Hamptons, are predicting a summer of record crowds and understaffing. Many of these operators rely on workers coming from outside the country on H-2B or J-1 visas, which became available at the end of March after a Trump administration ban lifted. But international travel restrictions and logjams at consulates are expected to prevent a n
