SARS Didn't Kill All Hopes
Pilot hiring levels held their ground in May as
the airline industry dealt with the soft travel market and the
continued impact of the post war period and SARS virus. A total of
372 pilots were hired in May. AIR, Inc. projects the industry will
hire approximately 5-6,000 new pilots in 2003.
Furloughs increased, but at slowed pace
In May, 84
of the 194 total (43 percent) airlines/operators reporting to AIR,
Inc. hired pilots. The major airlines hired 62 pilots with three of
the 14 (21%) carriers expected to hire over the next several
months. In the national airlines segment, 10 of 32 (31%) hired a
total of 97 new pilots. The jet operators, the most active segment,
hired 108; non-jet companies hired 58. As of June 5, the total
number of pilots on furlough increased to 8,895 (9.41 percent)
compared to 8,655 (9.15 percent) on April 30 out of the total of
94,571 active airline pilots.
Significant news of the period:
US Airways announced on May 12 a $4.3 billion order for a
minimum of 170 regional jets. Included in the order were 60
Bombadier CRJ-200s, 25 CRJ-700s, and 85 Embraer ERJ-170s, with
options for up to 380 additional aircraft. According to reports,
the carrier had already secured 80 percent of the required
financing. On June 1, Star Alliance approved admission of US
Airways group into the international partnership. DHL Airways
announced May 21 that Chairman and CEO John Dasburg and Blum
Capital Partners, plan to purchase the carrier for $57 million,
subject to Department of Transportation approval. Upon closing,
expected by June 30, the carrier name will change to Astar Air
Cargo, Inc. The Chautauqua unit of the International Brotherhood of
Teamsters mailed strike authorization ballots to the carrier's
pilot group. Results are expected June 20.
Job Fair for pilots:
The
Southeast region Airline Pilot Career Seminar, Airline Forum, and
Job Fair will be held in Atlanta, GA (ATL), at the Renaissance
Concourse Hotel Saturday, June 21. Airlines currently attending
include: ATA, Southwest Airlines, FedEx, AirNet, AirTran, Comair,
JetBlue, Mesa, World Airways, CommutAir, TAB Express, CAE SimuFlite
and LA Air National Guard. Airlines invited to attend include:
Alaska Airlines, Flight Options, Pinnacle Airlines, USA 3000
Airlines and many others.
Seven Career Workshops will also be conducted. The first four
workshops will be held Friday afternoon and evening, June 20,
featuring CRM, Furlough Survival-a new workshop, Military/Airline
Transition, and Résumés/Cover Letters/Applications.
Covered Sunday will be Interview Survival, Airline
Testing/Simulator Checks, and. Civilian/Airline Transition. The
next seminar is planned for Washington, D.C. (DCA) on Sept. 20,
2003.
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