Pilot shortage

American Airlines faces pilot shortage

It has been revealed that an estimated 15,000 of the company's flights scheduled to run over the festive period do not have an assigned pilot due to a computer glitch.

The software error gave time off to too many pilots between 17-31 December, the company told employees in an email last week.

Pilots are now being offered more money to cancel their holiday plans and work the shifts.

A US-based aviation union called the incident a “crisis”.