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business Wednesday 30 september 2020

Airport in Chicago are unoccupied amid the coronavirus pandemic

Unfriendly skies: Airline workers brace for mass layoffs

By TOM KRISHER and CATHY the pandemic, or 48,000
BUSSEWITZ including cargo carriers.
AP Business Writers Government figures are
DETROIT (AP) — The worries only available through July,
are growing for United Air- however.
lines flight attendant Jordy Compare that to the first six
Comeaux. months after the Sept. 11,
In a few days, he'll be 2001, terror attacks, when
among roughly 40,000 air- passenger and cargo air-
line workers whose jobs are lines cut more than 90,000
likely to evaporate in an jobs, and employment drift-
industry decimated by the ed lower for the next two
coronavirus pandemic. years. Two decades later,
Unless Congress acts to airline employment still had
help for a second time, not fully recovered. Malis
United will furlough Co- said American didn't hire
meaux on Thursday, cutting any new flight attendants
off his income and health until 2013 because it was
insurance. Unemployment still calling back those who
and the money made by were laid off.
his husband, a home health While job losses in the airline
nurse, won't be enough to industry since the pandem-
pay the bills including rent ic could be about 20% of
near Chicago's O'Hare In- In this June 25, 2020, file photo, rows of United Airlines check-in counters at O'Hare International the total workforce when
ternational Airport. Associated Press accounting for the next
"I don't have enough, un- passengers also means less weeks, but it's hung up in Tevita Uhatafe also was round of cuts, there are
fortunately, to get by," demand for rental cars, ho- the debate over a larger a big beneficiary of over- other sectors feeling even
said Comeaux, 31, who tels and restaurants. With national relief package. time pay, working 60 hours more pain, including the
has worked for United for demand for new planes The Airlines for America a week hauling baggage restaurant, bar and hotel
four years. "No one knows down, airplane manufac- trade group said a House and loading airplanes for businesses. From February,
what's going to come next turer Boeing has also cut proposal unveiled Monday American Airlines in Dallas. before the coronavirus took
and how to prepare." thousands of jobs. raises some hope because He and his wife, who holds hold in the U.S., through
Since the pandemic hit, "To my understanding, this Democrats and Republi- the same fleet service job, August, those businesses
thousands of flight atten- is the steepest demand cans appear to be talking. earned enough to buy a shed nearly 5.8 million jobs,
dants, baggage handlers, shock for commercial avia- Layoffs could be delayed if house and purchase a new or around 22% of the total
gate agents and others tion in human history," said a deal is imminent. car in January. number employed, ac-
have been getting at least Morningstar aviation ana- Toni Valentine, 41, a United Then came the pandem- cording to federal statistics.
partial pay through $25 bil- lyst Burkett Huey. reservations agent in De- ic. Overtime went away. Flight attendants likely will
lion in grants and loans to The International Air Trans- troit who has been with Uhatafe and his wife cut be the hardest hit if the
the nation's airlines. To re- port Association on Tues- the airline for 15 years, has expenses and staggered airline layoffs come this
ceive the aid, companies day lowered its full-year been told she'll be laid off their shifts so one could stay week because there are
agreed not to lay off em- traffic forecast. The trade this week. She has six chil- home to supervise remote over 25,000 of them, more
ployees through Sept. 30. group for airlines around dren ranging in age from learning for two sons and a than any other job in the
That "Payroll Support Pro- the world now expects 2 to 22, and her husband niece. industry, said Savanthi Syth,
gram" helped many stay 2020 air travel to fall 66% can't work because he's But come Thursday, they an airlines analyst for Ray-
on, and keep health care from 2019, compared to its recovering from a massive both are likely to get only mond James.
and other benefits. previous estimate of a 63% stroke. part-time hours, meaning Pilots may not be affected
It all runs out on Thursday. decline. "Knowing that I may not their household income as much because airlines
With air travel down about Airlines in Europe are ex- have insurance benefits, could be halved. "We can't want to avoid the cost of re-
70% from last year, many pecting years of trouble I feel like I have failed," afford our mortgage, our training them once they're
carriers including United and have acted quickly to she said on a conference car payment, our other util- in a position to rehire. On
and American say they'll cut jobs even as they get call set up by the Machin- ities," he said. Monday, United Airlines pi-
be forced to cut jobs with- government rescue loans. ists Union. "I'm the primary They also fear they won't be lots ratified an agreement
out additional aid. Delta Germany's Lufthansa won breadwinner in this family." able to make health care that the union and the air-
and Southwest, two other a 9 billion-euro government Before the pandemic, the copays and deductibles. line say will avoid about
big carriers, tapped private bailout, but announced an airlines were thriving. Planes They've looked for jobs, but 2,850 furloughs set to take
capital markets and say additional round of cuts were full, profits were fat in a market with high un- effect later this week, and
they'll avoid layoffs. after a summer bump in and workers were getting employment "there really another 1,000 early next
Industry analysts say fear vacation travel dwindled big overtime checks. That isn't anything out there for year.
of air travel and businesses in September. The com- helped Valentine, who said us right now," Uhatafe said. It's anyone's guess when or
keeping employees close pany has parked its jumbo she worked 80 hours per Allie Malis, an American even if air travel will recover
to home have brought jets and has plans to elimi- week but still was barely Airlines flight attendant in from the pandemic and if
an unprecedented crisis nate 22,000 full-time posi- making it after her hus- Washington, D.C., also fac- airlines can fly through the
to the industry, resulting in tions. British Airways parent band's illness. es layoff Thursday. "At this turbulence. Morningstar
cataclysmic losses. The four company IAG has said it Now, her 19-year-old son point I don't have a Plan B," expects a vaccine to be
largest U.S. airlines — Del- would cut some 12,000 of has dropped out of college she said. available by the end of this
ta, United, American and its 42,000-person workforce. to help support the family, With early retirements and year with widespread dis-
Southwest — together lost In the U.S., Congress has she said. "We're crying for other incentives to quit, U.S. tribution by the middle of
$10 billion in the second been considering a sec- help and no one is hear- airlines have already shed 2021, but recovery could
quarter alone. Fewer airline ond round of airline aid for ing," she said. about 45,000 jobs during still take years. q