Cargo airlines add 23,049 employees since pandemic

Sep 08, 2021

July airline industry employment ticks up nearly 1% from June, remains 3.7% below pre-pandemic july 2019

U.S. airlines employed 715,312 workers in July 2021, which is 0.8% (5,634) more workers than in June 2021, but 3.7% (27,728) fewer than in pre-pandemic July 2019.

The July industry numbers consist of 607,805 full-time and 107,507 part-time workers, an increase from June of 8,755 full-time and a decrease of 3,121 part-time workers.

As of July, the largest passenger airlines are operating with 67,661 fewer employees than at the March 2020 onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. United Airlines has dropped 21,278 workers, Delta Air Lines 16,476, and American Airlines 9,955. Major cargo airlines are operating with 23,049 more employees, with Federal Express having added 21,961.

Major Airlines' Total Employees, March 2020 (COVID-19 onset) vs July 2021

Includes Full-time and Part-time Employees

	*20-Mar*	*21-Jul*	*Change in Employees*	*Percent Change*
Alaska	17,912	16,751	-1,161	-6.48%
Allegiant	4,487	4,417	-70	-1.56%
American	109,108	99,153	-9,955	-9.12%
Atlas	3,121	3,547	426	13.65%
Delta	89,980	73,504	-16,476	-18.31%
Envoy	16,781	15,111	-1,670	-9.95%
Federal Express	245,010	266,971	21,961	8.96%
Frontier	5,181	5,260	79	1.52%
Hawaiian	7,492	6,078	-1,414	-18.87%
JetBlue	21,546	19,209	-2,337	-10.85%
Kalitta	2,013	2,320	307	15.25%
Polar Air Cargo	226	249	23	10.18%
Republic	6,519	5,867	-652	-10.00%
SkyWest	20,544	14,983	-5,561	-27.07%
Southwest	62,081	54,812	-7,269	-11.71%
Spirit	9,213	9,316	103	1.12%
United	91,563	70,285	-21,278	-23.24%
United Parcel Service	6,279	6,611	332	5.29%
*Major Airline Total*	*719,056*	*674,444*	*-44,612*	*-6.20%*