Dear fellow team members,
We have come to you many times throughout the pandemic, often with sobering updates on a world none of us could have imagined.
Today is the hardest message we have had to share so far – the
announcement of involuntary staffing reductions effective Oct. 1.
As you all know, the Payroll Support Program (PSP) of the CARES Act
protected our team against involuntary separations through Sept. 30. It
also ensured that we and other airlines continued to serve each of the
markets we flew prior to the crisis. It was an incredibly effective
piece of legislation. By providing airlines the funds to pay much of our
team member salaries and benefits, it ensured the commercial airline
industry kept flying in the face of very low demand for air travel and
kept our country moving, with all markets continuing to receive safe and
efficient commercial air service.
The only problem with the legislation is that when it was enacted in March, it was assumed that by Sept. 30, the virus would be under control and demand for air travel would have returned.
That is obviously not the case. Based on current demand levels, we at
American now plan to fly less than 50% of our airline in the fourth
quarter, with long-haul international particularly reduced to only 25%
of 2019 levels. So, as Sept. 30 approaches, we have announced reductions
in service, including the complete elimination of service to certain
markets in early October, and today we are announcing the related
reductions in our workforce.
In short, American’s team will have at least 40,000 fewer people working Oct. 1 than we had when we entered this pandemic.
We have worked to mitigate as many involuntary reductions as possible
through voluntary programs. Across the mainline and regional carriers,
more than 12,500 of our colleagues have made the difficult decision to
leave the company permanently through early out programs or retirement.
Another 11,000 team members have offered to be on a leave of absence in
October. These are important life decisions and we respect and greatly
appreciate the sacrifice these team members have made, and continue to
make, for American and their fellow team members.
Even with those sacrifices, approximately 19,000 of our team
members will be involuntarily furloughed or separated from the company
on Oct. 1, unless there is an extension of the PSP. Furlough
numbers by workgroup are published on Jetnet. Each group is in a
different situation. For example, since international flying is being
reduced more than domestic service, groups that are staffed more heavily
toward international service may see a larger impact. Your individual
leaders will be sharing more in the days ahead.
The one possibility of avoiding these involuntary reductions on Oct. 1 is a clean extension of the PSP. Led
by your labor unions, with the support of the industry, we have
generated enormous bipartisan support for such an extension. The
overwhelming majority of members of both the U.S. House and Senate
appreciate that saving jobs in the airline industry through this crisis
will mean a quicker economic recovery in the months and years ahead. And
that preserving these essential service jobs will also mean continued
commercial air service to all communities, small and large.
But, despite this broad bipartisan support, a PSP extension is tied up in a larger COVID-19 relief package, which our elected officials haven’t yet been able to negotiate.
So we must prepare for the possibility that our nation’s leadership
will not be able to find a way to further support aviation professionals
and the service we provide, especially to smaller communities. If you
haven't already done so, you can let your elected officials know just
how important a PSP extension is to you, your families and our economic
recovery.
The coming weeks and months will be some of the most difficult we have ever faced.
No matter how challenging they seem, remember this: The American
Airlines team is no stranger to adversity, and in adversity, we always
come through. We will come out on the other side of this crisis. Demand
will return. Team members will be recalled. The world will find its new
normal, and when it does, American is going to be there. Until then,
take heart that we will get through this together. The professionalism
and care this team has shown over the past six months has been nothing
short of extraordinary. We are all American Airlines, and we will
survive, and one day, thrive again. Thank you for all you are doing now,
and tomorrow, to carry us through.
Doug and Robert
No sympathy. These companies are mandating face diapers as a condition to fly. They can all go broke nd Piss off with your idle threats, the Airlines have been bailed out for decades to the tune of Billions and Billions of dollars...BYE BYE..
Trump's fault that people cannot control themselves and have an uncontrollable urge to smash windows and light things on fire.
Got it.