American Airlines Flight 718, the first American commercial Boeing 737 MAX flight since regulators lifted a 20-month link in November, takes off from Miami, Florida, USA on December 29, 2020.
Marco Bello | Reuters
American Airlines plans to resume piloting this fall, said the large aviator carrier, as a return to demand is causing airlines to rethink their future staff.
The pandemic derailed the airline’s employment plans in March last year, while carriers rushed to reduce their number of employees to reduce costs when travel demand fell. The American said last week that he plans to fly over 90% of his 2019 domestic program this summer.
Bookings have since recovered, led by tourists flying to the United States, airlines recently reported.
United Airlines also plans to restart pilots next month, while low-cost carrier Spirit Airlines began training for new pilots in March. JetBlue Airways has also made plans to start hiring pilots later this year.
The American plans to start by hiring 300 new pilots by the end of the year and plans to double that number in 2022, said Chip Long, the U.S. vice president of flight operations, wrote in a staff note, which was viewed by CNBC.
The Fort Worth-based carrier has about 15,000 pilots, although hundreds have retired early or are scheduled to stop flying in the coming years, at the age of 65, the mandatory retirement age for airline pilots.
International and long-term business demand remains weak as travel restrictions persist and large network operators continue to lose money. United reported a $ 1.4 billion loss in the first quarter on Monday, while Delta Air Lines last week said it lost nearly $ 1.2 billion in the first three months of the year.
The American will detail his demand and employment prospects when he reports the quarterly results on Thursday before the market opens.