DOW JONES NEWSWIRES
U.S. airlines employed 8.1% fewer workers in July than a year
earlier, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation.
Steep declines in business travel during the economic downturn
have been taking a heavy toll on U.S. airlines, offsetting the
benefits of lower fuel prices and forcing them to take new steps to
control costs and boost revenue.
Total full- and part-time employment was 563,112 in July, down
2.2% from June's revised figure of 575,498.
Among carriers with at least $1 billion in annual revenue, the
year-to-year drop was 7%. The passenger airline with the biggest
decline was Northwest Airlines at 13%. It was bought last year by
Delta Air Lines Inc. (DAL), whose employment rolls dropped
3.1%.
Discount carriers Southwest Airlines Co. (LUV) and JetBlue
Airways Corp. (JBLU) were the only major airlines to show
employment growth - 1.8% and 4.4%, respectively. They have
continued to expand to new destinations amid the industrywide
retrenchment.
-By Joan E. Solsman, Dow Jones Newswires; 212-416-2291;
joan.solsman@dowjones.com