US aviation sector cuts more jobs amid travel meltdown

The ongoing US travel crisis is causing thousands of job cuts as the aviation sector waits for passengers to return to the skies but braces for years of lower demand because of the coronavirus pandemic. US airlines are slashing hundreds of thousands of flights, cutting schedules by 80% or more through at least June and parking thousands of jets as demand for tickets has plunged by about 95%. Airlines are requiring facial coverings and implementing new cleaning procedures to try to convince passengers it is safe to fly again, but also fear the weakened economy may further drag down demand. Late Friday, Spirit AeroSystems said that in response to lower production rates from Boeing and Airbus it would layoff 1,450 workers in Kansas. On Wednesday, Boeing announced it would cut some production rates and eliminate about 16,000 jobs worldwide, or 10% of its workforce by year end. Delta said last week it does not expect air travel to recover for two or three years. More than 37,000 Delta employees have volunteered to take unpaid leave lasting from one month to a year. Labor union SEIU said Thursday at least 13,000 union members at airports have been laid off and another 1,000 layoffs are planned. US airlines last month collectively were awarded $25b in Treasury cash grants but as a condition must not fire workers or reduce through Sept. 30. JPMorgan Chase said Friday that “October 1st is likely to emerge as one of the darkest days in history for airline labor”.<br/>