Airlines that report to AIR, Inc. hired a total of 287 pilots in July, 56% fewer than in the previous month. National carriers hired the most with 79, followed by the majors with 72. The non-jet carriers put 33 pilots into their flight decks and Jet-operators hired 18. Other airlines added an additional 77. The pilot furlough numbers rose slightly from 2,327 in June to 2,397 in July, but unfortunately that number will continue to increase through the remainder of the year.

Seventy-eight out of 175 airlines that report to AIR, Inc. are still hiring pilots. Southwest is the only major airline that is still interviewing pilots for their pool. Four national airlines and ten jet operators are still hiring. Seventeen non-jet operators will be taking on new pilots and the crew leasing and foreign sectors are still adding crewmembers to their flight decks.

Delta (DAL) announced mid-July that the projected cost of its merger with Northwest will be $600 million and they affirm that the deal could generate $2 billion in annual synergies by the 2012.

Pilot negotiators for both airlines reached a tentative agreement with DAL management on a joint contract that covers both pilots groups when the two companies combine. Details include: maintaining a “flow-up” policy with Compass and Mesaba, furlough protection for the first 24 months after the merger is finalized, an increase in per diem, pay parity for NWA pilots (approximately 10% increase) and pay raises from between 5% and 4% through 2012. Pilots will vote on the proposal through August 12, 2008. 

American Airline’s (AMR) pilots are proposing retirement incentives over furloughs. The union representing the pilots, the Allied Pilots Association, has proposed limiting flight hours and offering early-retirement incentives as part of an effort to limit furloughs. AMR is presently offering up to 4 ½ months of severance pay and says it needs to cut 200 pilot jobs. AMR representatives are looking at the proposal.

AIR, Inc.’s next Airline Pilot Job Fair will be held in the Washington/Dulles area at the Hyatt Regency Reston Hotel on August 23. Attending airlines include: Majors – UPS; Nationals – AirNet, Comair, Kalitta Air, and Mesaba; Jet operators – Arrow Cargo; Non-jets – Cape Air, Colgan, Lynx; Fractionals – Avantair; Crew Leasing – Aviator Recruitment, Direct Personnel, Gap Aviation, Parc Aviation. Exhibitors: ALPA, Freight Dog, Gulfstream Flight Academy, and Higher Power Aviation. 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