U.S. airlines' work force on a full-time equivalent basis
increased 1.5% from a year earlier in March, according to the U.S.
Department of Transportation, again rising to a nearly two-year
high.
The industry has reported minuscule year-over-year growth in
employee counts each month since December, when employment on a
full-time equivalent basis, which counts two part-time employees as
one full-timer, increased for the first time in 30 months.
Carriers' struggles with beaten-down demand during the recession
had forced them to take cost-cutting steps such as layoffs but the
industry enjoyed a broad recovery last year.
The durability of the sector's rebound has become less clear of
late and many airlines have pared capacity plans because of high
fuel prices and the impact of March's earthquake and tsunami in
Japan.
The full-time equivalent employee count was 382,796 in March,
the highest since August 2009, according to the department's Bureau
of Transportation Statistics.
Network carriers' work force rose 1.5%. Delta Air Lines Inc.'s
(DAL) 5% increase was the biggest of the group, followed by US
Airways Group Inc. (LCC), which saw 1.1% growth. Alaska Air Group
Inc.'s (ALK) namesake carrier posted a 3.4% decline.
Discount carriers Southwest Airlines Co. (LUV) and JetBlue
Airways Corp. (JBLU) saw work rolls increase 1.8% and 3%,
respectively. Overall, the discounters had 2.3% more workers.
Regional carriers' work force was 1.8% higher.
-By Matt Jarzemsky, Dow Jones Newswires; 212-416-2240; matthew.jarzemsky@dowjones.com