At this point in the year, it’s pretty widely known that pilot hiring at the airlines fell off a cliff during most of 2020 following the COVID-19 outbreak. Louis Smith said, “The 12 major US airlines combined hired only 98 pilots in September.” Smith is president of the Future and Active Pilot Advisors (FAPA). Aircraft deliveries at companies like Boeing and Airbus have also pretty much ground to a halt. With the hit to the economy, some US airlines began laying off thousands of employees once the federal government’s payroll protection program expired on October 1.
How United Avoided Pilot Furloughs
Key Takeaways:
- The COVID-19 pandemic caused a dramatic collapse in airline pilot hiring and led to widespread layoffs and furloughs across the US airline industry in 2020.
- Despite the immediate downturn, Boeing's 20-year Aerospace Forecast offered optimism for the long-term future of the industry.
- Some airlines, like United, negotiated innovative agreements with pilot unions to avoid furloughs through reduced pay guarantees and part-time work, expecting a quick recovery, while others like American and Allegiant proceeded with furloughs.
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