United cancels flights for second day

CHICAGO -- For the second day in succession, United Airlines canceled flights at O'Hare International Airport, mainly due to a pilot shortage.

On Sunday, United canceled 80 flights and at least 150 flights were scrapped a day earlier.

United spokesman Chris Brathwaite said some of the airline's pilots called in sick, but many already had worked all of their allotted weekly hours trying to make up for flights canceled on Thursday and Friday because of bad weather in the East.

The weekend cancellations have involved flights to and from all parts of the United States.

RESOURCES United Airlines - Flight status     MESSAGE BOARD Unfriendly skies

A recorded announcement at the airport said, "We apologize for any inconvenience this has caused our customers. We are making every effort to get our customers to their destinations."

Scores of flights canceled since spring

United has had to cancel or delay scores of flights since spring because of pilot shortages. United pilots have refused to work overtime since their contract expired in April, Brathwaite said.

Brathwaite couldn't say when the problem would be solved. "Hopefully soon," he added.

The company and the pilots' union are negotiating a contract with a federal mediator and hope to have a new agreement in place by early September.

A spokesman for the union, the Air Line Pilots Association, did not immediately return a call for comment on Sunday. In the past, the union has denied having any organized effort to refuse overtime work.

United has about 960 flights per day out of O'Hare.

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United Airlines
Chicago O'Hare International Airport

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