United Airlines Warns 36,000 Workers They Could Be Laid Off or Furloughed
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Since March, United Airlines has been the first U.S. carrier to sound the alarm on almost every major issue facing the airline industry. That is also the case here. Look for other global network airlines to make similar announcements in the coming weeks.
United Airlines soon plans to issue furlough and layoff notices to roughly 36,000 employees, including pilots, flight attendants, customer service agents and maintenance workers, warning them they could lose their jobs by early October, when federal funding for paycheck supports expires, the carrier told workers on Wednesday.
United said the estimate may not be exact, and could change as more workers leave voluntarily, or if demand for air travel unexpectedly strengthens. But United's executives repeatedly have stressed the U.S. airline industry is in dire shape, and this week told investors that this summer's limited recovery may have stalled, as more U.S. Covid-19 cases pop up in many regions. Several U.S. airlines, particularly ones with robust long-haul networks, like United, expect to be significantly smaller over the next three to five ye
