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America Airlines is increasing the number of pilots it plans to hire this year and next as travel demand recovers and it positions the company for future growth, according to a staff memo reviewed by Reuters. US airlines have moved from warning of furloughs to advertising jobs in the span of months as the negative impact of the coronavirus pandemic on US travel subsides. “Though we were limited in pilot growth this past year, we are now moving full speed ahead with pans to continue recruiting, hiring and training the best and most diverse pilots in the business,” American’s vice president of flight operations Chip Long said in the memo. American now expects to hire 350 pilots this year, up from 300, and more than 1,000 additional pilots next year, up from about 600 previously planned, Long said.<br/>

Qantas' domestic capacity has fallen to less than 40% of pre-COVID levels due to lockdowns in three Australian states, its chief executive said in a memo to staff, in a setback to what had been a strong recovery. State border closures led to the sharp fall in domestic capacity from 90% of pre-COVID levels earlier in July and have dampened the capacity outlook through October, Chief Executive Alan Joyce said in memo dated Wednesday. The airline had in April forecast that domestic capacity would top pre-pandemic levels in the financial year that started on July 1 because of a rebound in demand. Joyce said in his memo that if the lockdowns in New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia ended when scheduled, domestic capacity should return to about 60% of pre-COVID levels in August and up to 80-90% in September and October. However, he warned that if the lockdowns last longer than expected, domestic staff face the possibility of being idled without pay. “We’re not at the point of requiring stand downs in our domestic operations at this stage,” he said. “But to be honest, we can’t rule it out if multiple states keep their borders closed for extended periods.”<br/>