Minneapolis – Northwest Airlines canceled more flights as expected Saturday, with the company attributing the problem to pilot absenteeism.
Northwest did not release cancellation figures Saturday, but the website reported that the airline had called off 166 flights by Saturday night. It reported that 1,056 scheduled flights departed. The airline had canceled 125 flights Friday, the website reported.
Northwest expected to complete 93 percent of its flights Saturday, said Roman Blahoski, spokesman for the carrier, based in Eagan. The pilot absenteeism was affecting flights mainly on narrow-bodied aircraft, he said.
The Northwest branch of the Air Line Pilots Association released a phone message to members Friday saying it didn’t believe there had been an improper use of sick time. If there was, the union suggested, it was caused by stress from increased flying hours.
The union has maintained that Northwest doesn’t have enough pilots to fly its full schedule.
The pilot shortage is having no noticeable effect on Northwest flights in and out of Denver International Airport. According to the airport’s flight website, all Northwest departures and nearly all arrivals were on time as of Saturday afternoon.
Northwest is not among the leading carriers at DIA. “They don’t have a huge presence here,” DIA spokesman Steve Snyder said.
