'I don’t have a Plan B': 40,000 airline workers brace for mass layoffs

Paywalled.

In a few days, he’ll be among roughly 40,000 airline workers whose jobs are likely to evaporate in an industry decimated by the coronavirus pandemic.

Unless Congress acts to help for a second time, United will furlough Comeaux on Thursday, cutting off his income and health insurance. Unemployment and the money made by his husband, a home health nurse, won’t be enough to pay the bills including rent near Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport.

“I don’t have enough, unfortunately, to get by,” said Comeaux, 31, who has worked for United for four years. “No one knows what’s going to come next and how to prepare.”

Since the pandemic hit, thousands of flight attendants, baggage handlers, gate agents and others have been getting at least partial pay through $25 billion in grants and loans to the nation’s airlines. To receive the aid, companies agreed not to lay off employees through Sept. 30. That “Payroll Support Program” helped many stay on, and keep health care and other benefits.

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In a few months this will really begin trickling to other industries. It's sickening waiting for the dominoes to fall.

It’s even more sickening to see people play politics with solutions and strategies to face the health crisis instead of using politics to help people who are suffering. When other dominos do start tipping over I will also think of all the people who needlessly died because there was simply no leadership to guide us out of this mess, just a lot of narcissistic bluster in between rounds of golf.

We can't work from home?

Stewardess joke.

Trump blames this on the left wing conspiracy nut jobs for tanking the economy due to this fake COVID stuff.

Thanks for reminding me R9. Besides the bluster and lies, were treated to constant deflection and blame. How very presidential The Pussygrabber is, no?

Every airline in the world is suffering. This isn’t just the US. We can’t even go anywhere at the moment.

The airlines have been bailed out in a major way - with the understanding that they use the billions of dollars to continue maintenance of their aircraft, and continue the pay of employees - but what did they do with the money? They gave million dollar bonuses to officers, and spent the rest buying their own stock back to drive up the price. If they did what was intended, and we as a country took the pandemic seriously, they would be in fine shape and this would be in our rearview mirror. Why they didn't just borrow money at low interest using their vast assets as capitol like any other business, is because the CEO's are members of the Dumps good ol' boys billionaire club.

The republicans blocked the democrats stimulus twice now while they also shoveled trillions to “corporations” and their donors interests.

Lawmakers need to see these actions by the airlines for what they are: blackmail and extortion. We've already given them billions of dollars in bailouts while millions of Americans remain unemployed and are struggling to make ends meet. If we had leadership that actually stood up for the people, they'd tell these shitty corporations that if they go through with their plans for layoffs, we will seize their businesses and turn them into government run entities. Trust me, they'd back down if this were to occur.

[quote]I don’t have a Plan B

I guess it's an abortion for you then.

The couple are a nurse and a flight attendant? That's a gay bingo.

Money needs to go to people not companies.

Screw the airlines. Live by the capitalist sword, die by the capitalist sword. I’m sorry for the employees, though.

Thanks R18. At least, those thanks come from me personally. I am not allowed to speak for anyone of my fellow employees.

R12, to my knowledge there has been no indication or reporting that airline executives have mismanaged the grants and funding the government have them earlier this year.

But unscrupulous, tawdry, and criminal small business owners, however

Yeah, I guess I messed the link up

With the gayface on that boy at r20, he's probably going to enjoy the 30 years he's facing in prison.

R1

Well I had no problems reading linked OP article, so guess it's you that has to be bothered.

After they took billions in stimulus.

It's very sad. A young Italian pilot just starting his career who trained in Texas got his first job at a low cost airline here in Romania. Four months later 1K employees were let go due to COVID lockdowns. We were set up to meet but he couldn't make ends meet and had to move back to Rome with his parents and now we talk via Zoom and his young life is in hold with no job or prospects. He was also telling me that the few who stayed have to buy their own (expensive) uniforms, protective gear and took major cuts and he is depressed. An absolutely adorable young gayling and to see the impact of COVID in a different light just makes me sad.

R24

Are you said for the young man because of his career situation, or unhappy that you didn't get to "meet" before he returned to Rome?

I really feel for employees, but the position of airlines defies logic. They've been increasing flights, passengers and fares for years, making record profits in the process. Meanwhile, the flying experience has been degraded to the point a Greyhound trip would be more luxurious.

How are they broke?

R24 - both. BUT there is a light at the end of the tunnel. I may go to Florence early next year depending on how the situation unfolds and meet him there so...but all that aside, I do feel for him because he is young and loved his job and he sort of had that sexy Mediterranean smile and twinkle in his gorgeous brown eyes. To see someone like that lose that is pretty messed up.

This happened to us.

My husband worked for United in the Chicago corporate office - yesterday was his last day.

Luckily, he’s been job hunting for three months, and just landed a new one this week.

Still, we’ll miss those free flights.

R28 - I am sorry to hear about that. Has he looked into low cost or non American companies?

R27

Young man lost an employment opportunity; you make it sound like he's been sentenced to die by hanging.

You sound really creepy R24/R27. I'm sorry but you do.

R31

Young man looses his job, but poster seems to be saying "so sad about your career, but I know what will make you feel really much better!".

[Quote] How are they broke?

I don't believe the airlines either. Its just looting the public coffers using the pandemic. Corporate welfare. As usual.

[quote] Lawmakers need to see these actions by the airlines for what they are: blackmail and extortion. We've already given them billions of dollars in bailouts while millions of Americans remain unemployed and are struggling to make ends meet. If we had leadership that actually stood up for the people, they'd tell these shitty corporations that if they go through with their plans for layoffs, we will seize their businesses and turn them into government run entities. Trust me, they'd back down if this were to occur.

And to think all of this could have minimized had the grifting WH squatter not intentionally disbanded the health resources needed from the beginning. And you want to blame the airlines.

Yeah, you're a Boris.

The Democrats need to support Sue Collins’ Air Carrier Worker Support Extension Act and not hold it hostage.

I'd be happy to see an end to all air travel.

Put the brakes on globalization;

protect the ozone layer;

end mass tourism;

promote local and regional economy;

bury Amazon.

Any downside anyone can see?

How does a furlough affect air travel? I assume they still have enough employees to maintain the fleet.

[quote] Screw the airlines. Live by the capitalist sword, die by the capitalist sword. I’m sorry for the employees, though.

This is the issue with capitalism. The aviation infrastructure should not be in private hands. It is critical to the global economy and should not be victim to a "capitalist sword." The cutbacks that airlines make have a ripple effect on other parts of the vast travel and hospitality industry.

R36, you described Russia. What a surprise.

Nobody is really being honest about what is about to happen economically because it would frighten us all.

^ The global system of corruption is so huge, unimaginably huge, that any thought of changing it is indeed terrifying.

^^ me again. I think one way would be politically. Small local regional governance may be able to change the deeply rooted system of corruption. Opting out of globalization would be a start.

R37

Air travel is down in USA by 70% (if not more), as such airlines have employees that are surplus to current requirements. As with any other business that has a downturn, you can either pay employees to do nothing, or let them go....

Airlines are cutting or suspending service due to low passenger numbers. It might be easy for flight attendants or pilots to move about, but again with travel numbers down there isn't often enough work in many areas for staff already based.

It is odd however two of the largest legacy carriers couldn't tap private markets for aid like other airlines managed to do.

We're like 7 mos. into this- what have they been doing- riding around empty in the sky?

R44

You haven't been paying attention have you?

Early on as part of CARES act and other federal action airlines received bailout funds with provision in some cases they keep employees until 30 September. Federal funds have run out, and so has clock on keeping employees who are now surplus to requirements.

Singapore Airlines was going to offer "flights to nowhere", but tree hungers went livid, so that plan has been scrapped.

R40

It's happening now already, things are just only going to get worse for many people. Sadly a good number of them don't realize yet that that light at end of a tunnel sometimes is a train.

Are they actually laying off pilots? It seems like it’s always the support staff who are laid off and not the pilots.

Our neighbors are a one income family, dad is a pilot. 4 kids under 10. They are still spending money like it’s water. I wonder about their situation.

Read article, airlines are loathe to lay off pilots due to federal regulations about mandatory retraining when they return.