By Tracy Rucinski and David Shepardson
CHICAGO / WASHINGTON, July 20 (Reuters) – Delta Air Lines and Southwest Airlines have received strong demand from pilots for early departure packages aimed at thinning their work forces to weather the coronavirus pandemic, according to preliminary figures.
The union representing Delta pilots said 2,235 pilots had volunteered for a voluntary early departure program before Sunday’s deadline, up from 1,700 on Friday, when Delta told pilots it would avoid permits. if they agreed to reduce the guaranteed minimum wage.
In Southwest, about 24% of pilots and 33% of flight attendants have agreed to early retirement or long-term licenses, a person familiar with the matter said.
There is a period for Delta and Southwest employees to rescind their decision, so the numbers are not final.
Delta and Southwest did not comment.
American airlines, which received a $ 25 billion bailout in March to cover payroll for six months, are trying to encourage employees to accept voluntary departure deals in hopes of avoiding involuntary leave in the fall when the government ban on forced job cuts.
They hoped that air travel demand would pick up in October, but warned that bookings that began to rise from all-time lows in May and June have now stabilized or even decreased due to an increase in COVID-19 cases in some parts of the world. country. . (Reporting by Tracy Rucinski and David Shepardson; Dan Grebler Edition)
