Sun Country reduced its September schedule after higher-than-expected crew attrition and additional cargo flying created staffing pressure, according to an internal memo viewed by AirlineGeeks.
In a July 3 message to Allegiant and Sun Country flight crews, Allegiant CEO Greg Anderson said the carrier trimmed its fall scheduled capacity “due to higher-than-expected front-line crew attrition combined with increased cargo flying.”
Anderson said passenger and cargo operations rely on the same crews. He described the reductions as temporary and said the company is increasing pilot hiring to rebuild staffing in Minneapolis/St. Paul.
In a separate statement to AirlineGeeks, the company attributed the reductions to seasonal demand, higher-than-expected cargo flying, and an expanded pilot pathway program that requires experienced pilots to move into instructor roles.
Sun Country removed roughly 348 September departures from its schedule, representing about one-third of the month’s previously planned flying, according to Cirium Diio schedule data.
The reductions are largely limited to September. Schedules from October 2026 through April 2027 remain mostly unchanged, while the airline added flights on several routes, including additional service between Minneapolis/St. Paul and Providence, Rhode Island.
September Suspensions
In total, Sun Country reduced service on 34 routes. Seven Minneapolis routes were suspended for the month: Cancún; San Juan, Puerto Rico; Destin-Fort Walton Beach, Florida; Asheville and Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina; Baltimore/Washington; and Phoenix-Mesa.
Several routes that remain scheduled also received significant cuts. Flights between Minneapolis/St. Paul and Los Angeles were reduced by approximately 39%, while Orlando and San Francisco saw similar reductions. Chicago O’Hare service was cut by about 62%.
Sun Country has continued expanding its cargo operation for Amazon Air using Boeing 737 freighters. In January, the airline also opened its first operational base outside Minneapolis at Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport, a major hub for Amazon’s air cargo network.
The schedule changes come as Allegiant integrates Sun Country following the completion of its acquisition on May 13.
In the memo, Anderson said Allegiant and Sun Country will continue operating as separate airlines under separate operating certificates until the Federal Aviation Administration approves a single operating certificate. He estimated that process could take between 18 and 24 months.
Each pilot group will also remain under its existing collective bargaining agreement until joint contract negotiations begin, according to Anderson.
The company does not expect to close additional bases beyond the previously announced Savannah, Georgia, and Bellingham, Washington, locations. Anderson also said future growth in Minneapolis would include additional locally based crews rather than displacing existing employees, though some flying could eventually be operated from legacy Allegiant bases.
Sun Country’s approximately 670 pilots are represented by the Air Line Pilots Association. Their contract became amendable in December 2025.
Allegiant pilots, represented by the Teamsters, reached a tentative agreement on July 11 that includes pay increases and an estimated $300 million in retention bonuses.
Sun Country’s ALPA Master Executive Council did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
