Pilot shortage hits mid-sized, regional US airlines

New York

MID-SIZED and regional airlines in the US are suffering from a pilot shortage that could threaten the health of the broader US aviation industry.

The labour shortfall has led to cancelled flights at carriers such as Mesa Airlines and Silver Airways. That has hit smaller airports, such as in Redding, California, or Erie, Pennsylvania, according to figures from the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA).