Travelers expecting to fly on Northwest Airlines (NYSE: NWA) had another tough couple of days this past weekend. The company has been plagued recently by an insufficient pilot workforce, which forced the airline to cancel hundreds of planned flights over the weekend.

The official line coming out of the company is that flights were forced to be canceled as a result of "significant spikes" in pilot absenteeism, but has been very careful not to come straight out and accuse the pilots of an illegal job action. Northwest emerged from bankruptcy a couple months ago, and during the course of its bankruptcy procedures was able to win concessionary labor contracts. This, obviously, has not gone over too well with its workforce, and could be part of the problem that has led to the "spike in absenteeism."

This train of thought, however, is quickly negated by Monty Montgomery, who is the spokesman for the Air Line Pilots Association branch at Northwest. According to Mr. Montgomery, the problem here has nothing to do with any unhappiness among Northwest pilots, but instead, the blame can be put squarely on Northwest's shoulders. In an official statement regarding this past weekend's cancellations, Mr. Montgomery stated that the problem "is and always has been a staffing problem."

Since it came out of bankruptcy two months ago, Northwest Airlines (NYSE: NWA) has canceled a significant amount of flights because of a pilot shortage. Over 147 Northwest flights were canceled over the past weekend and more than 60 were canceled on Monday. By mid-day today, 30 more were grounded.

While these recent cancellations don't compare to the 1,000 flights that were cut in June, Northwest failed to meet the industry's target of 98.0% completed flights. The numbers are also worse than Northwest's rivals' performances. USA Today reported that Northwest's 76 cancellations Sunday totaled 5.6% of the day's flights. In comparison, American Airlines (NYSE: AMR) cut six flights, United Airlines (NASDAQ: UAUA) canceled 33 and Delta (NYSE: DAL) cut four. All provide more daily flights than Northwest.

In what might prove to be great news for General Motors Corp. (NYSE: GM) and Ford Motor Co. (NYSE: F), the airline industry continues to foul its own nest by treating customers like egg-laying hens, penning them up until they've been squeezed dry, then plucking them clean.

Northworst, I mean, Northwest Airlines Corp. (NYSE: NWA) is the current worst-in-class, as its 'passengers' have been caught in the middle of a labor dispute between pilots and the airline, facing canceled flight after canceled flight. However, Northwest is just one of many culprits in this effort to convince the American public to take a car vacation.

US Airways (NYSE: LCC), aka 'Air Mañana,' was the perpetrator of six of the ten most delayed fights in April. We all remember the JetBlue (NASDAQ: JBLU) debacle this winter, and NPR's Scott Simon has documented his ongoing problems with United Airline's (NASDAQ: UAUA) unresponsive lost luggage department.

Even with airlines padding their flight times to increase on-time arrivals, almost one in every four is delayed. And while the industry continues to use weather as the whipping boy, according to FAA statistics it accounts for less than 1% of delays.

As we enter the vacation season, I would have expected the airline industry to put its best foot forward. Instead, it seems to be dropping its collective drawers to moon us. My advice? Drive. Yes, you'll be cooped up in a small chair, but you can get up to pee any time you wish.

Flight delay info can be found on the FAA website.