Now, if SARS Would Just Go Away...

Pilot hiring returned to pre-war levels in April as the airline industry weathered the Iraq war and impact of the SARS virus. A total of 454 pilots were hired in April. (AIR, Inc. projects the industry will hire approximately 5,000~6,000 new pilots in 2003.)

In April, 82 of the 195 total (44 percent) airlines/operators reporting to AIR, Inc. hired pilots. The major airlines hired 76 pilots with four of the 14 (29 percent) carriers expected to hire over the next several months. In the national airlines segment, the most active, 12 of 32 (38 percent) hired a total of 121 new pilots. The jet operators hired 114; non-jet companies hired 54. At the end of April, the total number of pilots on furlough increased to 8,655 (9.15 percent), compared to 8,408 (8.89 percent) in March (out of the total of 94,571 airline pilots).

American Airlines (AAL) narrowly averted bankruptcy in April as all three major labor groups, including pilots represented by the Allied Pilots Association (APA), accepted new wage concession agreements. AAL pilots ratified a five-year deal including $660 million in wage concessions by a 60 percent margin April 15. Total wage concessions by pilots, mechanics & flight attendants total about $1.8 billion annually, saving the world's largest airline from immediate Chapter 11 proceedings. In a related move, AAL Chairman and CEO Donald J. Carty resigned April 24 following revelations of a "secret" pension fund and bonuses for AAL executives. Replacing Carty as chairman is Edward A. Brennan; the new CEO is Gerald J. Arpey, who will also continue to serve as president. Pilots at United Airlines, represented by ALPA, on April 11 ratified (by a margin of 82 percent) a wage concession and work rules agreement saving the carrier $1.1 billion per year for six years.     

Job Fair Next Month

The Southeast region Airline Pilot Career Seminar, Airline Forum, and Job Fair will be held in Atlanta (ATL), at the Renaissance Concourse Hotel Saturday, June 21. Airlines scheduled to attend include ATA, FedEx, Southwest, AirTran, ASA, Comair and JetBlue. Airlines invited to attend include Alaska, ACA, Flight Options, Pinnacle Airlines, Island Air, Hawaii Aviation Contract Services and many others. The seminar will feature topics on the pilot hiring market, job search planning, pre-employment medical exams, interviewing, written testing, and applications/résumés/cover letters.

Seven Career Workshops will also be conducted. The first four workshops will be held Friday afternoon and evening, June 20, featuring CRM, Military/Airline Transition, Furlough Survival (a new workshop), and Civilian/Airline Transition. Covered Sunday will be Interview Survival, Airline Testing/Simulator Checks, and Résumés/Cover Letters/Applications. Following Atlanta, the next seminar is planned for Washington, D.C. (DCA) on September 20, 2003.

FMI: www.jet-jobs.com