Flight Centre’s travel research group (FCM) has said that, despite the global aviation industry having replaced only a third of its labour force, the industry could still resolve many of its operational issues by the end of this year, reports the Financial Review.
According to FCM’s quarterly report, labour shortages worldwide in the aviation industry post-COVID had played a key role in the travel woes being experienced globally over the last three months. The report notes that, of the 60 million staff that were cut globally during the pandemic, only 18 million had been replaced by 2021.
FCM Consulting General Manager, Felicity Burke, said hiring was a gradual process for airlines, resulting in a challenge for major carriers. However, according to the quarterly trend report, Qantas is set to lift its staff numbers to 94% of pre-COVID levels by year end.
The airline has said total group staff capacity in the first six months of 2022 was at 51% of 2019 levels, and it plans to lift domestic capacity to 110% of 2019 staff levels and international capacity to 70% in the September quarter.
FCM also estimated that Virgin Australia would increase its group staff capacity from 73% to 88%.
Although the rehiring process is gradual, Burke said: “As a travel industry, I would say we should, at the end of this year, look a lot fatter with headcount.”
