Brace for a huge aerospace hiring crunch

Aerospace manufacturers need to start preparing for a labor crunch. This time last year, the biggest makers of planes and their components were in layoff mode as the Covid-19 pandemic brought air travel to a virtual standstill and crippled demand for new jets. But with more than 2 billion vaccines now administered worldwide, passenger demand has rebounded and airlines have renewed interest in expanding their fleets to accommodate the snapback. Southwest this week topped up its order for the smallest version of Boeing’s 737 Max and said it now expects to spend about $1.5b on aircraft next year, more than double its previous projection. United, meanwhile, is eyeing a revamp of its fleet that may include an order of at least 100 Max jets, Bloomberg News reported Thursday. Boeing recorded its fourth consecutive month of orders outpacing cancellations in May, even as the company continues to struggle with delivery pauses. Airbus has laid out plans to exceed its pre-Covid production pace for its best-selling A320 series by 2023. That aggressive timeline raised eyebrows among analysts but may reflect a desire to kick the supply chain into gear. It’s easier said than done. Aerospace suppliers — particularly engine manufacturers — already struggled to keep up with ever-increasing production targets from Airbus and Boeing before Covid, and airlines regularly complained about quality control hiccups and delivery delays. Those issues will be compounded by the pandemic whiplash effect, particularly when it comes to rehiring workers. <br/>