Northwest Airlines Corp (NYSE: NWA) disclosed yesterday that it canceled 10.7% of its flights from Friday to Monday. One of the main reasons for the debacle? The higher-than normal-rate of pilot "sick calls." Northwest said in a statement it was "working to remedy the situation and expects shortly to operate a normal summertime schedule."

I'm sure that made all the delayed travelers so forgiving.

It's a problem that Northwest pilots warned management of in the past. In the concessionary labor contract that was signed last year, the limit on monthly flight hours for pilots jumped from 80 to 90. Wade Blaufuss, a spokesman for the Air Line Pilots Association, told the AP many Northwest pilots are finding themselves flying maximum hours and don't get adequate rest. The Muskegon Chronicle said the airline pilots' union expects this problem to continue throughout the summer.

Northwest emerged from bankruptcy in May with less enthusiasm than when Delta Air Lines (NYSE: DAL) came out earlier last month. Instead, workers have been focused on the $26.6 million in stock awards given to CEO Doug Steenland – while rank-and-file took pay cut after pay cut to keep the company afloat.

Does this mean that pilots are staging a sick-out? Probably, but don't expect them to admit it. It's the summer-time - kids are graduating, people go on vacation and some just need to rest.

Sadly, that's exactly what people who paid for a Northwest flight have been trying to do as well.

Kevin Shult is a writer for TheFlyOnTheWall.com (subscription required).