US airlines have let go thousands of workers and could fire even more if the US government fails to provide additional aid to the troubled industry amid the collapse in demand for travel triggered by the coronavirus pandemic.
RT’s Boom Bust discussed the ramifications of the possible massive furloughs with spokesman for the Allied Pilots Association and a pilot for American Airlines, Captain Dennis Tajer. The carrier he works for is going to lay off 19,000 employees, while another big player, United Airlines, wants to cut more than 13,000 jobs, when federal aid expires.
“It’s demoralizing,” he said. “There are 10 million jobs outside the airline industry that are supported by it. So these unemployment numbers will continue to rise if they don’t take action.”
The pilot added that the financial stress the air companies are now facing does not “bolster the safety margin.” According to him, the whole recovery process may stall without additional support measures, while billions of dollars invested in the pandemic stimulus package “will have been squandered.”
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