US airline employment levels down 5.9% in Jul-2009

US Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) stated (22-Sep-2009) US passenger airline employment levels fell 5.9% year-on-year in Jul-2009 - representing the 13th consecutive monthly decline in full time equivalent employee (FTE) levels. Details include:

• Full time equivalent employee levels: 386,900, -5.9% year-on-year;
• Network: 260,800, -7.8%;
• Low cost: 64,100, +1.8%;
• Regional: 56,600, -7.2%.

According to BTS, American Airlines employed the largest number of full time equivalent employees among the network carriers in Jul-2009, at 68,100 employees. Details of US network airlines' full time equivalent employee levels include:

• Total full-time equivalent employees: 260,500, -7.1% year-on-year;
  • American: 68,100, -6.9%;
  • Delta: 45,900, -4.4%;
  • United: 45,300, -11.0%;
  • Continental: 35,000, -4.0%;
  • US Airways: 31,200, -4.4%;
  • Northwest: 25,500, -12.5%;
  • Alaska: 9,500, -6.0%.

Meanwhile, Southwest Airlines employed the largest number of full time equivalent employees among the low cost carriers in Jul-2009, at 34,931 employees. Details of US low cost airlines' full time equivalent employee levels include:

• Total: 63,025, +0.9% year-on-year;
  • Southwest: 34,931, +1.9%;
  • JetBlue: 10,780, +3.4%;
  • AirTran: 8,122, -0.7%;
  • Frontier: 4,359, -8.1%;
  • Spirit: 1,898, -18.3%;
  • Allegiant: 1,493, +13.1%;
  • Virgin America: 1,445, +20.4%. [more]