By David Shepardson and Tracy Rucinski WASHINGTON/CHICAGO,
By David Shepardson and Tracy Rucinski
WASHINGTON/CHICAGO, Nov 18 (Reuters) – The chief executives of the seven largest U.S. airways made a recent plea for extra payroll reduction earlier than the tip of the yr and pointed to the challenges of distributing a COVID-19 vaccine in a letter to Congressional leaders on Wednesday.
The letter, seen by Reuters, was despatched by the principle business foyer Airways for America and signed by the heads of the highest seven U.S. airways.
“Because the nation appears to be like ahead and takes on the logistical challenges of distributing a vaccine, it is going to be vital to make sure there are ample licensed workers and planes in service obligatory for ample capability to finish the duty,” they stated.
U.S. airways obtained $25 billion in federal help to maintain workers on payroll between March and September and have requested for a second spherical of help after chopping tens of 1000’s of jobs both by furloughs or early retirements in current months.
They’ve argued that they want skilled workers to assist service an financial rebound, with the prospects of a vaccine within the coming months underscoring the urgency.
The variety of vacationers that handed by Transportation Safety Administration checkpoints on Tuesday was down two-thirds from the identical day in 2019, an enchancment from the beginning of the pandemic however not sufficient to carry airways out of their money gap, notably with additional lockdowns looming as COVID-19 circumstances rise.
Nonetheless, the business’s help request has obtained extensive bipartisan help however has up to now didn’t go as Congress stays deadlocked over a broader COVID-19 reduction and stimulus plan.
They’re now hoping that Congress can go airline help by another car comparable to a funding invoice this yr, individuals aware of the matter have stated.
Congress shouldn’t be anticipated to return till Nov. 30.
Southwest Airways LUV.N, which has by no means laid off any workers in its 49-history, despatched warnings of potential furloughs to about 400 workers on Wednesday.
(Reporting by Tracy Rucinski and David Shepardson; Modifying by Jacqueline Wong and Stephen Coates)
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