United Airlines is asking its pilots to take voluntary unpaid leave starting next month due to delays in aircraft deliveries — a side effect of Boeing‘s heightened safety concerns following a batch of manufacturing flaws.

“We can confirm that due to the recent delays in Boeing deliveries, our forecasted block hours for 2024 have been reduced and we are offering our pilots voluntary programs for the month of May to reduce excess staffing,” the company said in a statement.

Due to delays, pilots will not be able to fly as many hours, though the airline reportedly said it will not be cutting back on flights.  

The announcement comes after airlines faced a severe pilot shortage in the aftermath of the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, leaving companies desperate to train and hire pilots. Now, Boeing’s continued string of production problems, which has attracted regulatory scrutiny and resulted in several audits and investigations, is causing aircraft delays. 

Deliveries are directly affecting 737 and 787 fleets but could affect other aircraft deliveries, according to a United pilots union memo obtained by CNBC. 

United is expected to receive 102 fewer aircraft deliveries than initially projected in its contract with the manufacturer, including 15 fewer Boeing 737 Max 9 models, according to the outlet. 

United isn’t the only airline struggling with Boeing’s production delays. Southwest Airlines announced in March that it was halting all new hire classes due to the uncertainty surrounding the aircraft deliveries. 

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While pilots are being asked to take unpaid leave, they are able to fly the “Empty Line,” an option that would still allow pilots to get paid by picking up flights as they become available, per CBS News.

Boeing CFO Brian West warned investors last month that the airplane manufacturer would be delayed in delivering aircraft to airlines as investigations, lawsuits, and production problems pile up. Boeing announced that CEO David Calhoun would be stepping down at the end of the year as the plane maker’s reputation worsened amid safety problems ignited by the door plug blowout on a 737 Max Alaska Airlines jet in January.