US airlines employ 3.3% less full time employees in Dec-2009

US Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) stated (22-Feb-2010) US passenger airline employment levels fell 3.3% year-on-year in Dec-2009 - representing the eighteenth consecutive decline in full time equivalent employee (FTE) levels. Details include:

• Full time equivalent employee levels: 379,100, -3.3% year-on-year;
  • Network: 258,100, -2.5%;
  • LCCs: 62,600, stable;
  • Regional: 52,700, -8.9%.

According to BTS, American Airlines employed the largest number of full time equivalent employees among the network carriers in Dec-2009, at 66,700 employees. Details of US network airlines' full time equivalent employee levels include:

• American: 66,700, -4.9% year-on-year;
• Delta: 49,000, +7.8%;
• United: 43,900, -4.0%;
• Continental: 33,200, -3.9%;
• US Airways: 29,900, -4.6%;
• Northwest: 26,200, -6.1%;
• Alaska: 9,300, -3.1%.

Meanwhile, Southwest Airlines employed the largest number of full time equivalent employees among the low cost carriers in Dec-2009, at 34,726 employees. Details of US low cost airlines' full time equivalent employee levels include:

• Southwest: 34,726, -2.2% year-on-year;
• JetBlue: 10,856, +4.6%;
• AirTran: 7,844, +4.7%;
• Frontier: 4,284, -2.6%;
• Spirit: 1,920, -15.2%;
• Allegiant: 1,565, +16.1%;
• Virgin America: 1,421, +12.9%. [more]