Sun Country Airlines (SY, Minneapolis St. Paul International) has reduced its September 2026 passenger schedule after higher-than-expected flight crew attrition, coupled with increased cargo flying for Amazon Air, created staffing pressures across its operations.

The schedule adjustments follow the acquisition of Sun Country by Allegiant Air (G4, Las Vegas Harry Reid), completed on May 13.

According to an internal memo cited by AirlineGeeks, Allegiant Air chief executive Greg Anderson told flight crews that the reductions were being driven by "higher-than-expected front-line crew attrition combined with increased cargo flying." He described the schedule changes as temporary and said the company was accelerating pilot recruitment to rebuild staffing levels at Minneapolis St. Paul, the airline's primary base.

In a separate statement, Sun Country added that seasonal demand patterns, stronger-than-anticipated cargo activity, and the expansion of its pilot pathway scheme, which requires experienced pilots to serve as instructors, had also contributed to the need to reduce scheduled passenger flying.

The carrier has removed around one-third of the capacity originally planned for September. Furthermore, it has suspended seven routes from Minneapolis, namely services to Cancún, San Juan Luis Muñoz Marin, Destin-Fort Walton Beach, Asheville, Raleigh/Durham, Baltimore International, and Mesa Gateway Airport. Frequencies have also been cut for destinations such as Los Angeles International, Orlando International, San Francisco, and Chicago O'Hare.

ch-aviation fleets data shows Sun Country’s fleet comprises forty-four B737-800s, twenty-two B737-800(BCF)s, and three B737-900ERs.