A PILOT has revealed why so many flights are being delayed and cancelled right now – and why the situation isn't likely to improve any time soon.
The pilot, speaking under the pseudonym Tom, has worked for Qantas for more than 30 years.
However, he has warned that there are just not enough staff – so problems can't be fixed.
He told ABC: “There is no one to talk to and when you go to work you are basically on your own. It’s like we’re running a virtual airline.
“In my three decades with Qantas I’ve never seen anything like it.”
On one of his flights, he said not only was there no drinking water onboard, but they were missing important documents with no way to get them.
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Despite contacting other staff over the radio system, he said there was no reply, and no way of finding out how long they would be delayed.
Calling the situation a "rudderless ship," he said airlines used to see departure times as "sacred" but not anymore.
A US pilot has warned that the staff shortages are making flights unsafe for passengers.
Dennis Tajer, from the Texas-based pilots union Allied Pilots Association, has said there is currently an "inhumane" level of pressure on pilots.
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Without more recruitment, it means flight problem won't get better anytime soon.
The pilot shortage has contributed to thousands of flights being cancelled or delayed, with airlines struggling to meet demands.
"We may not have seen the worst of this," Kit Darby, founder of Kit Darby Aviation Consulting, told CBS.
"There are no reserved extra pilots, planes, flight attendants."
Here is how you can tell if your flight is about to be delayed, according to a pilot.
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And we've explained how to claim compensation if your flight is delayed.
However, holidaymakers WON’T get compensation for flights cancelled in the heatwave – here is what you can do about it.
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