American Airlines plans to lay off 469 workers at US airports

As a part of its continuing efforts at downsizing flights, American Airlines, headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas, the United States, has sent notices of possible layoffs to 469 employees at airports in 5 cities in the United States.

These employees may lose their jobs by November 1, 2008, as the airline cuts back on its schedule in the face of high oil prices and a weakening economy.

The hardest-hit by the proposed layoffs would be the workforce at American Airlines’ second-biggest hub, O’Hare International Airport in Chicago, the United States, where 353 employees have received the layoff notices. The company has also notified 53 airport employees in Los Angeles; 28 in San Francisco; 27 in Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina; and 8 employees in Columbus, Ohio.

The letters of possible layoffs were sent to gate and ticket agents, ramp workers, automotive mechanics, and airport-based management and support staff, a press release from American Airlines said.

American Airlines has not yet sent notices to mechanics and other maintenance employees.

The press release added: “The sending of notices to employees follows the capacity reductions the company is implementing to remain competitive in the industry. Unfortunately, those reductions require a reduction in jobs as well.”

Mark Burdette, vice-president (employee relations) of American Airlines, had said in a letter sent to the Transport Workers Union a week ago: “Fewer people would be needed to operate the airline as the operating schedule is cut due to high oil pries and the softening economy. This reality has forced us to make some very tough, but immediate, decisions to secure American Airlines’ future. We must quickly reduce our operating schedule for the coming months, and as a result, will need fewer people to operate the airline.”

American Airlines had earlier announced that it intended to cut about 1,300 hourly jobs and 200 management and support positions in its maintenance and engineering division. Overall, over 6,000 jobs will be eliminated at the airline by the end of 2008 as it downsizes by 8%.

American Airlines is the world’s largest airline in total passengers-miles transported and passenger fleet size; the second largest airline in terms of aircraft operated; and the second-largest airline company in the world (behind Air France-KLM) in terms of total operating revenues. A wholly owned subsidiary of the AMR Corporation, American Airlines operates scheduled flights throughout the United States, as well as flights to Canada, Latin America, the Caribbean, Europe, Japan, China, and India.