SWISS and Air France cancel hundreds amid pilot shortages

(SWITZERLAND) Air France and Swiss International Air Lines are facing a fresh wave of flight cancellations across France, Switzerland, and Greece in 2025, with tens of thousands of passengers disrupted as of August 25, 2025. The carriers cite pilot shortages, operational strains, and the continuing fallout from the Iran–Israel conflict, which has closed sections of regional airspace and forced route suspensions. Both airlines have halted service to Israel—Air France indefinitely and SWISS until October 25, 2025—while trimming frequencies on long-haul and European routes during the peak travel season.

Summary of cancellations and key routes affected

• SWISS has cancelled more than 1,400 flights between April and October 2025—about 1.5% of its total schedule—primarily due to a shortage of cockpit crew.
  • Cuts affect long-haul routes such as Zurich–Chicago and Zurich–Shanghai, and short/medium-haul European links, including services between Switzerland and the United Kingdom.
  • In September and October, SWISS will operate only half of its usual Zurich–Chicago schedule.
  • Example: cancellation of LX424 (Zurich to Birmingham, operated by Helvetic Airways for SWISS) on August 6, 2025.
  • Suspension to Israel runs through October 25, 2025.
• Air France has also pulled back service.
  • Flights to Israel were halted on June 14, 2025 and remain indefinitely suspended.
  • Selected European services were canceled amid the summer squeeze, including AF1065 and AF1064 (Paris CDG–Birmingham) on August 6, 2025.
  • Air France’s cuts reflect broader industry pressures: staffing gaps, aircraft issues, and weather disruptions.

Wider European context

• Other major carriers affected in 2025 include Lufthansa, British Airways, KLM, Ryanair, and easyJet.
• More than 6,000 flights have been canceled by British Airways, KLM, and Lufthansa alone so far this year.
• Delays are up 54% year-on-year, even though overall cancellations are down 32% versus 2024.
• Analysis by VisaVerge.com describes the region’s air travel system as remaining in “turbulence” through peak months, with passengers facing missed connections and long waits on call center lines.

Scope and causes of the 2025 disruptions

SWISS and Air France–KLM point to a mix of operational and external factors:

• Staffing and training
  • SWISS says managers’ staffing plans were overly optimistic while crews are retraining for the Airbus A350.
  • Higher-than-expected absences (maternity leave, injuries) and a new labor agreement require roughly 70 additional full-time cockpit positions.
  • SWISS aims to hire up to 110 new pilots per year and is expanding training pipelines, delaying retirements, and allowing more part-time extra hours.
• Technical and weather impacts
  • Technical issues have affected parts of the Airbus A220 fleet.
  • Severe weather (Storm Éowyn, heavy snow in Germany) has displaced crews and aircraft, compounding disruptions.
• Geopolitical effects
  • The Iran–Israel conflict has closed airspace segments, forcing route suspensions and longer routings.
  • With the Lufthansa Group also stretched, spare aircraft and crews are harder to source when problems occur.

Operational consequences include tighter capacity, higher fares, fewer alternative routings, and more frequent last-minute changes for travelers.

What travelers should do now

Airlines are notifying customers as schedules shift, but backlogs make contacting agents difficult. Suggested steps:

1. Check flight status
   • Visit the airline website or the airport site before you travel. Same-day changes are common this summer.
2. Rebooking and customer service
   • If your flight is canceled, both carriers will attempt to rebook you automatically. If that fails, call customer service quickly to secure alternatives.
3. Know your rights
   • Under EU Regulation 261/2004, you may be entitled to compensation or a full refund for cancellations, unless the cause is an extraordinary event (e.g., war or airspace closures).
   • The European Commission explains the rules here: https://transport.ec.europa.eu/transport-themes/passenger-rights/air_en
4. Keep documentation
   • Save emails, texts, boarding passes, and receipts for meals or hotels linked to the disruption.
5. Israel-specific travel notes
   • Air France: service to Israel suspended until further notice.
   • SWISS: service to Israel suspended until October 25, 2025.

Customer support contacts
– SWISS: swiss.com; +41 848 700 700 (Switzerland), +1 833 951 2503 (USA)
– Air France: airfrance.com; +33 9 69 39 36 54 (France), +1 800 237 2747 (USA)

Important: Customer support lines remain very busy. If rebooking doesn’t happen automatically, act quickly and have your booking reference and documentation ready.

Recent examples and timeline

• August 6, 2025:
  • Air France canceled AF1065 and AF1064 (Paris CDG–Birmingham).
  • SWISS (operated by Helvetic Airways) canceled LX424 (Zurich–Birmingham).
• June 14, 2025: Air France suspended flights to Israel (indefinite).

• April–October 2025: SWISS canceled 1,400+ flights (≈1.5% of schedule).

Policy developments and regulatory outlook

• European institutions have considered updates to air passenger rules. A notable vote on June 5, 2025 could influence how compensation is applied in future crises.
• For now, EU Regulation 261/2004 remains the primary standard for refunds and set payouts when cancellations are not caused by extraordinary events.

Industry outlook and expectations

• The 2025 crunch follows years of uneven recovery since the pandemic. Airlines rebuilt schedules but now face:

  • Labour shortages,
  • New fleet rollouts and retraining,
  • Geopolitical shocks that close airspace,
  • Weather-driven disruptions, and
  • Maintenance-related slowdowns.
• SWISS plans to expand pilot training and hiring through autumn and aims for improved stability by late October, though announced cuts will remain through that period.

• Air France and other carriers have not set dates to resume Israel service, given ongoing conflict and airspace restrictions.

• Industry watchers expect a bumpy ride through the end of 2025 as crews, aircraft, and schedules remain tight.

Practical travel tips and final takeaways

• Check early and often: email, mobile app notifications, and airport displays.
• Build extra connection time for routes with known constraints (e.g., Zurich–Chicago, services to/from Greece).
• Avoid nonrefundable add-ons until your seat is confirmed.
• If a cancellation occurs and the cause is not extraordinary, you can request remedies under EU Regulation 261/2004, including refunds when rebooking doesn’t suit you.

The human impact: Many travelers—parents reuniting with children, students on exchanges, and workers returning from offshore shifts—have faced last-minute disruptions that ripple across hotels, ferries, and rail tickets. Airlines say they notify customers as quickly as possible, but the volume of schedule adjustments means many learn of changes only a day—or hours—before departure.

For now, both carriers will attempt to rebook customers on their own flights first and then on partners. Seats remain tight. Until staffing and aircraft rotations normalize, expect continued schedule adjustments with little notice. Check email, app notifications, and airport screens regularly for the latest updates.