FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 12, 2008
Contact: Kit Darby, ext. 103
Corey Mobley, ext. 170

Airline Pilot Hiring
October 2008 Summary

October’s airline pilot hiring numbers reflect the continuing struggles the U.S. carriers are having, despite the end to the constantly rising cost of fuel. Sixty-eight out of 177 (38%) airlines reporting to AIR, Inc. hired 276 pilots in October, bringing the year-to-date total to 6,261. Fourteen of the 40 Non-Jet Operators hired 89 pilots, followed by the Nationals with six of the 34 carriers hiring 65 pilots, and six of the 32 Jet Operators added 20 pilots to their flight decks. There was no hiring activity by any of the 15 Major airlines for the month. As the hiring numbers decreased in October the furlough / laid-off numbers increased, from 3,867 / 1,903 in September to 4,052 / 1,915 in October, respectively.

On November 2, Delta Air Lines and Northwest Airlines merged into the world’s largest airlines. The deal was sealed with Justice Department issued its seal of approval. The new carrier will be called Delta Air Lines and will be based in Atlanta. The merger is expected to generate $2 billion in annual synergies.
The pilot recruitment program, Aviation University Gateway, implemented by JetBlue and Cape Air in January 2008 is producing favorable results and will begin accepting additional candidates shortly. Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and the University of North Dakota graduates intern at Cape Air  and then serve as an instructor at their respective flight school. Following this process, candidates will fly with Cape Air for at least two years and then be eligible for a final interview at JetBlue.

American Airlines announced its intent to acquire an initial 42 B787-9 aircraft scheduled for delivery from 2012 to 2018, with right to purchase up to 58 additional B787s that may be scheduled for delivery between 2015 to 2020.

Primaris Airlines sold 75% of the company to US-based CorpoPetrol Global Energy Development, and filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection to allow CorpoPetrol to finalize the financing package.
Delta Air Lines (DAL) could cut as many as two regional carriers when its merger with Northwest Airlines is complete, increasing the pressure on contract carriers to improve their on-time performance if they hope to survive. DAL already has moved to terminate or alter contracts with Pinnacle Airlines and

						
Freedom Airlines, though some of those actions have been delayed, are being renegotiated or are being challenged in court. The following airlines also operate services under Delta Connection: ASA, Comair, Chautauqua, Shuttle America and SkyWest.

The next AIR, Inc. Job Fair will be held in Atlanta in January or March 2009. For information on all current and future seminars visit our Web site at www.jet-jobs.com, or call 800 JET-JOBS (538-5627).

Source: AIR, Inc. • Atlanta, GA • www.jet-jobs.com • 800-JET-JOBS 

FURLOUGHS AS OF November 12, 2008
Airline Number on Furlough Number Laid-Off Number Active Percent Furloughed Percent Laid-Off
Majors
Airborne Express
17
0
657
2.6%
N/A
AirTran Airways
167
0
1,641
10.2%
N/A
Alaska Airlines
0
0
1,500
N/A
N/A
American Airlines
1,969
0
8,379
23.4%
N/A
ASTAR Air Cargo
0
0
525
N/A
N/A
Continental Airlines
148
0
5,070
2.9%
N/A
Delta Air Lines
0
0
6,500
N/A
N/A
FedEx
0
0
4,780
N/A
N/A
Frontier Airlines
61
0
718
8.5%
N/A
JetBlue
0
0
1,975
N/A
N/A
Northwest Airlines
0
0
5,105
N/A
N/A
Southwest Airlines
0
0
5,692
N/A
N/A
United Airlines
222
0
6,400
3.5%
N/A
United Parcel Service
0
0
2,932
N/A
N/A
US Airways
920
0
5,238
1.8%
N/A
TOTAL
2,676
0
57,112
4.7%
N/A
Airline Number on Furlough Number Laid-Off Number Active Percent Furloughed Percent Laid-Off
Nationals
Air Transport International
0
0
275
N/A
N/A
Air Wisconsin
60
0
817
7.3%
N/A
AirNet Express
35
0
160
21.9%
N/A
Allegiant Air
0
0
242
N/A
N/A
*Aloha Airline
0
273
0
N/A
100%
American Eagle
0
0
3,000
N/A
N/A
Amerijet Int’l
5
0
71
7%
N/A
*ATA
0
315
0
N/A
100%
Atlantic Southeast
0
0
1,584
N/A
N/A
Atlas Air
0
0
650
N/A
N/A
*Champion Air
0
130
0
N/A
100%
Comair
210
0
1,385
15.2%
N/A
Evergreen Int’l Airlines
0
0
245
N/A
N/A
ExpresssJet
347
0
2,600
13.3%
N/A
Florida West Int'l Airways
0
0
12
N/A
N/A
*Gemini Air Cargo
0
246
0
N/A
100%
Hawaiian Airlines
0
0
324
N/A
N/A
Horizon Air
0
0
725
N/A
N/A
Kalitta Air
0
0
330
N/A
N/A
Mesa Airlines
49
0
1,542
3.2%
N/A
Mesaba Airlines
0
0
1,052
N/A
N/A
Miami Air Int'l
0
0
95
N/A
N/A
Midwest Express Airlines
85
0
375
22.7%
N/A
North American Airlines
0
0
194
N/A
N/A
Omni Air Int'l
0
0
245
N/A
N/A
Pinnacle Airlines
0
0
1,400
N/A
N/A
Polar Air Cargo
0
51 (PFE's)
230
N/A
17%
Republic Airways
150
0
1,800
8.3%
N/A
Ryan Int'l Airlines
63
0
135
46.7%
N/A
SkyWest Airlines
0
0
2,854
N/A
N/A
Spirit Airlines
135
0
356
37.2%
N/A
Sun Country Airlines
0
0
100
N/A
N/A
Trans States Airlines
76
0
652
11.7%
N/A
US Airways/Piedmont
0
0
515
N/A
N/A
US Airways/PSA
80
0
359
22.3%
N/A
USA 3000
28
0
152
18.4%
N/A
USA Jet Airlines
25
0
75
33.3%
N/A
World Airways
0
0
425
N/A
N/A
TOTAL
1,348
1,015
25,166
5.4%
4%
Total Jet Operators
19
565
2,345
1.2%
24.1%
Total Non-Jet Operators
27
250
2,664
1%
9.4%
Total Fractionals
0
0
4,548
N/A
N/A
Total Crew Leasing/Foreign/Training
0
0
N/A
N/A
N/A
Total Training and Very Light Jets
0
85
490
N/A
17.3%
Total Startups
0
0
13
N/A
N/A
AIRLINE TOTAL
4,070
1,915
92,348
4.4%
2.1%
Notes: * Carrier Ceased Operations

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