American Airlines to resume hiring pilots this fall as travel demand recovers

American Airlines plans to resume hiring pilots this fall, the carrier told aviators on Tuesday, as a rebound in demand prompts airlines to rethinking their future staffing. The coronvirus pandemic derailed airline hiring plans in March of last year as carriers scrambled to reduce their head counts to cut costs when travel demand plunged. American last week said it plans to fly more than 90% of its 2019 domestic schedule this summer. Bookings have since recovered, led by vacationers flying within the US, airlines have recently reported. United also plans to restart pilot hiring 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. American plans to start by hiring 300 new pilots by the end of the year and plans to double that number in 2022, Chip Long, American’s VP of flight operations, wrote in a staff note. The carrier has about 15,000 pilots though hundreds have taken early retirement or are scheduled to stop flying in the coming years as they turn 65, the federally mandated retirement age for airline pilots. American will detail its demand and hiring outlook when it reports quarterly results on Thursday before the market opens.<br/>