Icelandair Cancels Six Flights Due to Staff Shortages

Icelandair has canceled six flights scheduled for June 13, citing staff shortages. The affected routes include four flights to European destinations and two to the United States. Guðni Sigurðsson, Icelandair's information officer, confirmed the cancellations to mbl.is.

Earlier reports indicated three European flights to Paris, Milan, and Zurich were canceled. The additional cancellations involve flights to New York, Boston, and a cargo flight to Liege, Belgium. These disruptions are believed to stem from pilots' reluctance to work on their vacation days, a situation that had temporarily improved after the Flight Attendants' Union (FÍA) encouraged pilots to assist the company by working on holidays.

However, it appears these informal actions by pilots may be continuing. The situation is mirrored among aircraft mechanics, who have not undertaken overtime for some time, with their contracts expiring at the end of the year. According to sources cited by mbl.is, maintenance tasks are accumulating, and at least two Boeing 757 aircraft have been out of service for a period due to the inability to staff additional shifts for their upkeep.

There are also rumors that aircraft mechanics might be considering industrial action in the near future, further exacerbating the operational challenges for the airline.