On Wednesday employees at American Airlines were informed that the company expects to layoff 25,000 frontline workers due to because travel has not rebounded from the coronavirus crisis.
According to America Airlines, the mostly unionized jobs will include pilots, flight attendants, mechanics and airport workers, who make up nearly 30% of the company's 85,000 front-line workers in its U.S. mainline operation.
American Airlines offcials said about 5,000 corporate employees were already cut in the first round of layoffs.
In a letter to employees, American CEO Doug Parker and President Robert Isom said the goal when the payroll protection provisions of the federal CARES Act were signed in March was to buy time for travel to rebound, so no layoffs were needed when the program ends Oct. 1.
Isom said, "unfortunately, the strategy did not work."
According to American Airlines, flight attendants face the most significant cuts, with notices going out to nearly 10,000 workers or 37%.
Offcials said they hope the final number of layoffs can be reduced by voluntary leaves and early-buy out programs. There were no official count of how many of these workers would be cut from Newark International Airport in NJ at this time.
**IMAGE CREDIT:** American Airlines