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Scheduled Passenger Airline Full-Time Equivalent Employees,
Month of March, 1990-2013

U.S. scheduled passenger airlines employed 380,325 workers in March 2013, 2.7 percent fewer than in March 2012, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) reported today. March was the seventh consecutive month that full-time equivalent (FTE) employment for U.S. scheduled passenger carriers was below that of the same month of the previous year, (December 2010 through August 2012) (Tables 1, 2).

BTS, a part of the Department’s Research and Innovative Technology Administration, reported that the March 2013 FTE total for scheduled passenger carriers was 10,436 fewer than in March 2012 and down 3.0 percent from the recent March high of 392,077 in March 2009 (Table 3). Scheduled passenger airline categories include network, low-cost, regional and other airlines. Historical employment data can be found on the BTS web site.

The five network airlines that collectively employ two-thirds of the scheduled passenger airline FTEs reported 3.3 percent fewer FTEs in March 2013 than in March 2012, the eighth consecutive decline from the same month of the previous year. Delta Air Lines reduced FTEs by 4.1 percent from March 2012. American Airlines, which filed for bankruptcy in November 2011, reduced FTEs by 9.9 percent over the same period. United Airlines reported 0.9 percent more FTEs than in March 2012. US Airways reported 1.3 percent more FTEs while Alaska Airlines increased FTEs by 3.9 percent from March 2012 (Table 9). Network airlines operate a significant portion of flights using at least one hub where connections are made for flights to down-line destinations or spoke cities.

Four of the six low-cost carriers – Allegiant Airlines, Virgin America Airlines, Spirit Airlines and JetBlue Airways – reported an increase in FTEs. Southwest Airlines, following its merger with AirTran Airways, reported 45,791 FTEs in March 2013, 0.7 percent less than the two airlines reported separately in March 2012. Frontier Airlines also reported fewer FTEs (Table 12). Low-cost airlines operate under a low-cost business model, with infrastructure and aircraft operating costs below the overall industry average.

Among the 14 regional carriers, six carriers reported reduced employment levels in March compared to last year: ExpressJet Airlines, Mesa Airlines, Horizon Airlines, Pinnacle Airlines, Air Wisconsin and Executive Airlines (Table 15). Regional carriers typically provide service from small cities, using primarily regional jets to support the network carriers’ hub and spoke systems.

Carrier Groups: The five network airlines employed 67.0 percent of the total number of FTEs employed by all scheduled passenger airlines in March, the six low-cost carriers employed 18.4 percent and the 14 regional carriers employed 13.2 percent (Table 4). The three airlines with the most FTEs in March – United, Delta and American – employed 56.6 percent of the month’s total passenger airline FTEs (Table 6). These three airlines carried 39.6 percent of total passengers traveling on U.S. airlines in February, the most recent month available.

Top employers by group: United employed the most FTEs (82,835) in March among the network airlines, Southwest employed the most FTEs (45,791) among low-cost airlines, and American Eagle Airlines employed the most FTEs (11,244) among regional airlines. Four of the top five employers in the industry are network airlines (Table 6).

Network Airlines

Recent Trend: The network airlines employed 8,594 fewer FTEs in March 2013 than in March 2012, a 3.3 percent decrease. Three of the five network carriers reported an FTE increase from March 2012 to March 2013 (Tables 8, 9).

Five-Year Trend: The network airlines employed 9,941 fewer FTEs in March 2013 than in March 2009, a 3.8 percent decrease. American reported the biggest percentage decline in FTE employment from 2009 to 2013, 15.6 percent, followed by US Airways, down 1.6 percent. March 2009 and March 2013 numbers for United and Delta are not directly comparable because of the intervening mergers. United reported 2.2 percent more FTEs in March 2013 than United and Continental reported separately in March 2009; Delta reported 0.3 percent more FTEs in March 2013 than Delta and Northwest reported separately in March 2009 (Tables 8, 9).

Low-Cost Airlines

Recent Trend: The six low-cost airlines’ reported 0.1 percent fewer FTEs in March 2013 than in March 2012. All low-cost airlines except Frontier and Southwest reported year-to-year increases (Table 12).

Five-Year Trend: The six low-cost carriers reporting employment data in both 2009 and 2013 employed 10.8 percent more FTEs in March 2013 than in March 2009.  Virgin America reported the largest percentage increase (70.9 percent), while Frontier reported a 13.2 percent decline. March 2013 numbers for Southwest are not directly comparable to 2009 because of the intervening merger. Southwest reported 5.6 percent more FTEs in March 2013 than Southwest and AirTran reported separately in March 2009 (Table 12).

Regional Airlines

Recent Trend: Regional airlines reported a 4.6 percent decrease in FTE employment in March 2013 compared to March 2012. GoJet Airlines and Republic Airlines reported the largest percentage increases in FTEs from March 2012 to March 2013 among airlines not involved in mergers. Executive and Pinnacle reported the largest percentage decreases (Table 15).

Five-Year Trend: The 14 regional carriers reporting employment data in both March 2009 and March 2013 employed 12.4 percent fewer FTEs in 2013 than in 2009. For airlines not involved in mergers, Executive reported the largest percentage decline followed by Mesa. The ExpressJet/Atlantic Southeast combination reported 6.5 percent fewer FTE’s in March 2013 than the two airlines reported separately in March 2009.  The Pinnacle/Mesaba combination reported 39.5 percent fewer FTE’s in March 2013 than the two airlines reported separately in March 2009.  GoJet reported the biggest four-year percentage gain (Table 15).

Airlines that operate at least one aircraft with capacity of more than 60 seats or the capacity to carry combined passengers, cargo and fuel of more than 18,000 pounds – the payload factor – must report monthly employment statistics.

The “Other Carrier” category generally reflects those airlines that operate within specific niche markets such as Hawaiian Airlines serving the Hawaiian Islands. 

Data are compiled from monthly reports filed with BTS by commercial air carriers as of May 16. Additional airline employment data and previous press releases can be found on the BTS website. BTS has scheduled release of April passenger airline employment data for June 25.

Table 1: Change from Previous Year in Scheduled Passenger Airline Full-time Equivalent Employees* by Airline Group

Most recent 13 months - percent change compared to same month the previous year

Source: Bureau of Transportation Statistics

* Full-time Equivalent Employee (FTE) calculations count two part-time employees as one full-time employee.

** Includes network, low-cost, regional and other carriers. Other Carriers generally operate within specific niche markets. They are: Hawaiian Airlines and Sun Country Airlines.

Note: Percent changes based on numbers prior to rounding.

Note: See Table 2 for all passenger airlines, Table 7 for Network, Table 10 for Low-Cost and Table 13 for Regional.

Table 2: Change from Previous Year in Scheduled Passenger Airline* Full-time Equivalent Employees**

Percent change compared to same month the previous year

Source: Bureau of Transportation Statistics

* Includes network, low-cost, regional and other carriers.

** Full-time Equivalent Employee (FTE) calculations count two part-time employees as one full-time employee.

Note: Percent changes based on numbers prior to rounding.

Table 3: Scheduled Passenger Airline Full-time Equivalent Employees* by Month

Source: Bureau of Transportation Statistics

* Includes network, low-cost, regional and other carriers.

** Full-time Equivalent Employee (FTE) calculations count two part-time employees as one full-time employee.

Note: Percent changes based on numbers prior to rounding.

Table 4: Airline Group Full-time Equivalent Employees*, March 2009-2013

Source: Bureau of Transportation Statistics

* Full-time Equivalent Employee (FTE) calculations count two part-time employees as one full-time employee.

** Includes network, low-cost, regional and other carriers.

Table 5: Year-to-Year Change in Airline Group Full-time Equivalent Employees*, March 2009-2013

Percent change in FTEs from the same month of the previous year

Source: Bureau of Transportation Statistics

* Full-time Equivalent Employee (FTE) calculations count two part-time employees as one full-time employee.

** Includes network, low-cost, regional and other carriers.

Table 6: Top 10 Airlines, March 2013

Ranked by Number of Full-Time Equivalent Employees*

Source: Bureau of Transportation Statistics

* Full-time Equivalent Employee (FTE) calculations count two part-time employees as one full-time employee.

** See Table 9 for Network, Table 12 for Low-Cost and Table 15 for Regional.

Table 7: Network Airline Year-to-Year Change in Full-time Equivalent Employees* from the Previous Year**

Percent change compared to same month of the previous year

Source: Bureau of Transportation Statistics

* Full-time Equivalent Employee (FTE) calculations count two part-time employees as one full-time employee.

Table 8: Network Airlines Full-time Equivalent Employees* by Month 2009-2013

Source: Bureau of Transportation Statistics

* Full-time Equivalent Employee (FTE) calculations count two part-time employees as one full-time employee.

Note: Percent changes based on numbers prior to rounding.

Table 9: Network Airline Full-time Equivalent Employees*, March 2009-2013

(FTEs for March of each year. Ranked by March 2013 FTEs)

Source: Bureau of Transportation Statistics

* Full-time Equivalent Employee (FTE) calculations count two part-time employees as one full-time employee.

** United Airlines and Continental Airlines merged and began reporting combined numbers in January 2012.

*** Delta Air Lines and Northwest Airlines merged and began reporting combined numbers in January 2010.

Note: Percent changes based on numbers prior to rounding.

Table 10: Low-Cost Airline Year-to-Year Change in Full-time Equivalent Employees* from the Previous Year

Percent change compared to same month of the previous year

Source: Bureau of Transportation Statistics

* Full-time Equivalent Employee (FTE) calculations count two part-time employees as one full-time employee.

Note: Percent changes based on numbers prior to rounding.

Table 11: Low-Cost Airline Full-time Equivalent Employees* by Month

Source: Bureau of Transportation Statistics

Note: Percent changes and averages based on numbers prior to rounding.

* Full-time Equivalent Employee (FTE) calculations count two part-time employees as one full-time employee.

Table 12: Low-Cost Airline Full-time Equivalent Employees*, March 2009-2013

(FTEs for March of each year. Ranked by March 2013 FTEs)

Source: Bureau of Transportation Statistics

* Full-time Equivalent Employee (FTE) calculations count two part-time employees as one full-time employee.

** Southwest Airlines and AirTran Airways merged and began reporting combined numbers in April 2012.

Note: Percent changes based on numbers prior to rounding.

Table 13: Regional Airline Year-to-Year Change in Full-time Equivalent Employees* from the Previous Year

Percent change compared to same month of the previous year

Source: Bureau of Transportation Statistics

* Full-time Equivalent Employee (FTE) calculations count two part-time employees as one full-time employee.

Note: Percent changes based on numbers prior to rounding.

Table 14: Regional Airline Full-time Equivalent Employees* by Month

Source: Bureau of Transportation Statistics

* Full-time Equivalent Employee (FTE) calculations count two part-time employees as one full-time employee.

Note: Percent changes based on numbers prior to rounding.

Table 15: Regional Airline Full-time Equivalent Employees*, March 2009-2013

(FTEs for March of each year. Ranked by March 2013 FTEs)

Source: Bureau of Transportation Statistics

* Full-time Equivalent Employee (FTE) calculations count two part-time employees as one full-time employee.

** ExpressJet Airlines and Atlantic Southeast Airlines began reporting combined numbers in January 2012.

*** Pinnacle Airlines and Mesaba Airlines began reporting combined numbers in January 2012.

**** Effective with November 2009 reporting, Republic Airlines' employment numbers include FTE's from Midwest Airlines. Midwest employment data were formerly included in the "Other Airlines" category.

# Effective July 2012 Chautauqua Airlines began reporting employment data.

## Effective the end of September 2012, Colgan Airlines ceased operations.

### Effective the end of October 2012, Comair ceased operations.

#### Effective the end of March 2011, Lynx Airlines ceased operations.

N/A: Carriers did not meet the standard for filing, was no longer operating, merged with another operating carrier or failed to file. See previous notes.

Note: Percent changes based on numbers prior to rounding.