New Thrust Flight Survey Finds 78% of U.S. Adults Would Be Uncomfortable Flying With an Airline Short on Maintenance Workers
Data suggests maintenance staffing is becoming a key factor in how travelers judge airline safety and reliability
A new Thrust Flight survey finds the aircraft mechanic shortage could become a bigger trust issue for airlines as travelers connect maintenance staffing more directly to safety and reliability. According to the Thrust Flight 2026 Aircraft Mechanic Shortage Survey Report, 78% of U.S. adults say they would feel uncomfortable flying with an airline they knew was short on maintenance workers.
Thrust Flight’s survey was conducted in January 2026 via the third-party platform Pollfish among 1,000 U.S. adults ages 18+. The study measured baseline awareness of the aircraft mechanic shortage and assessed how perceptions of safety, reliability and trust shift after respondents learn that airlines are struggling to hire enough mechanics.
Key findings of the Thrust Flight 2026 Aircraft Mechanic Shortage Survey include:
- Only 17% of respondents say they are very aware of the aircraft mechanic shortage, while 26% say they are not aware at all.
- Two-thirds (66%) of respondents say the shortage is concerning after learning airlines are struggling to hire enough mechanics, and more than half link it to flight safety (56%) and to delays and cancellations (51%).
- 73% of respondents name safety risks as their single biggest concern tied to a mechanic shortage, while 2% say nothing about a mechanic shortage would concern them.
- Nearly nine in 10 (89%) respondents say mechanic shortages threaten reliable U.S. air travel, including 39% who call it a major threat and 50% who call it a moderate threat.
- More than two-thirds (69%) of respondents say aircraft mechanics are just as critical to safety as pilots.
- 78% of respondents would feel uncomfortable flying with an airline if they knew it did not have enough maintenance workers.
- 76% of respondents say they would feel safer flying with an airline if they knew it employs more aircraft mechanics than required.
- If price and route are the same, four in five (80%) respondents say they are more willing to choose an airline that employs more mechanics.
- Nearly all respondents (95%) say they are very or somewhat confident that increased airline investment in mechanic training and staffing would improve flight reliability and safety.
- 92% of respondents say airline transparency about operations and staffing affects their trust a great deal or somewhat.
The findings point to an awareness gap: many Americans haven’t heard about the mechanic shortage, but once it’s explained, they quickly link it to safety, delays and cancellations. That shift suggests airlines could face tougher scrutiny if workforce constraints become more widely understood during a busy travel period.
At the same time, the data offers a path forward. Most respondents say adding mechanics would make them feel safer, and many say their trust depends on clear information about operations and staffing. Taken together, those views suggest that open communication and visible investment in training and staffing can help protect traveler confidence.
“For most travelers, maintenance stays out of sight until something goes wrong, which is why the mechanic shortage deserves more attention,” said Patrick Arnzen, CEO of Thrust Flight. “Once people hear about staffing challenges, they link it directly to safety and everyday reliability. The industry has a real opportunity to protect that confidence by investing in training and hiring and being open about those efforts.”
As airlines and the wider aviation industry work to stabilize the mechanic pipeline, Thrust Flight’s new data shows that staffing, training capacity and transparency are ultimately tied to how travelers judge safety and reliability, not just on-time performance.
For the full results and additional insights, view the Thrust Flight 2026 Aircraft Mechanic Shortage Survey Report.
