Number Of Jobs Climbed 2.8 Percent Over The Same Month Last Year

U.S. scheduled passenger airlines employed 2.8 percent more workers in August 2011 than they did in August 2010, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) reported today. This is the ninth consecutive increase in full-time equivalent employee (FTE) levels for the scheduled passenger carriers from the same month of the previous year. FTE calculations count two part-time employees as one full-time employee.

BTS, a part of the Research and Innovative Technology Administration, reported that the August FTE total of 388,523 for the scheduled passenger carriers was 10,688 more than that of August 2010 and the highest employment number since April 2009. This ninth consecutive monthly increase in FTE levels for the scheduled passenger carriers from the same month of the previous year follows declines that began in July 2008. Historic employment data can be found on the BTS web site.

Of the network airlines, only Alaska Airlines and United Airlines decreased employment from August 2010 to August 2011. Continental Airlines reported 9.2 percent more FTEs in August 2011 than in August 2010, the largest increase among the network carriers. Delta Air Lines followed Continental with a 4.0 percent increase. Network airlines operate a significant portion of flights using at least one hub where connections are made for flights to down-line destinations or spoke cities.
 
All the low-cost carriers reported more FTEs in August 2011 than in August 2010 except for Allegiant Air, which reported a 4.7 percent decrease. The low-cost carriers with more reported FTEs are Virgin America Airlines, Spirit Airlines, Frontier Airlines, JetBlue Airways, AirTran Airways and Southwest Airlines. Among the regional carriers, the six carriers reporting reduced employment levels compared to last year were Mesa Airlines, Horizon Air, Mesaba Airlines, Comair, Air Wisconsin and Executive Airlines.

Scheduled passenger airline categories include network, low-cost, regional and other airlines.           

FMI: www.bts.gov