Aviation industry turns to childcare, free iPhones to lure workers

The North American aviation industry is wooing workers with daycare centers, cheaper transport and free iPhones to compete in a tight market where salaries for entry-level, low-skilled jobs often lag those at e-commerce companies like Amazon. Shortages of workers like baggage handlers and customer service agents led to long lines and delayed luggage during the peak summer travel season last year, marring the industry's recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and spurring demand for new initiatives to attract workers. "If you want people to work crazy shifts, in the middle of the night, in the middle of the day, you need to be able to accommodate their family life too," Thomas Romig, vice president at airport trade group Airports Council International, or ACI World, said of services like daycare. "Airports are taking more actions to try and recruit, retain and train (or) upskill workers." ACI, which has member airports around the world, is now preparing guidance for them on making jobs at 24-hour centers outside city cores more friendly to workers.Part of the issue for the aviation industry is that low wages and taxing work have long made retaining staff at airports a challenge, a problem exacerbated by the pandemic and now, historically low unemployment rates. In the United States, the unemployment rate is at its lowest level in more than 53 years. US air transportation employment has recovered over the past year to above pre-pandemic levels. But the sector still needs to add jobs as US air travel also rebounds - forecasts show it is set to rise again this year from pre-pandemic levels hit in 2022.<br/>