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:
- Pilot hiring at major US airlines plummeted in 2020 due to COVID-19, leading to widespread layoffs after federal payroll protection expired.
- Despite the downturn, some airlines like United negotiated unique agreements with pilot unions to reduce pay and hours, avoiding mass furloughs in anticipation of a quick recovery.
- However, not all airlines achieved this, with American and Allegiant proceeding with pilot furloughs while Delta continued discussions for similar mitigation plans.
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