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U.S. scheduled passenger airlines employed 2.6 percent more workers in May 2015 than in May 2014, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) reported today. May was the 18th consecutive month that full-time equivalent (FTE) employment for U.S. scheduled passenger airlines exceeded the same month of the previous year and was the highest monthly total since September 2008  (Tables 1, 2, 3).

Scheduled Passenger Airline Full-Time Equivalent Employees, Month of May, 1990-2015

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Month-to-month, the number of FTEs rose 0.6 percent from April to May, the fifth consecutive monthly increase (Table 1A). 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 2.7 percent more FTEs in May 2015 than in May 2014 (Table 7). Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, US Airways and Delta Air Lines increased FTEs from May 2014 while United Airlines reduced FTEs (Table 9). Month-to-month, the number of network airline FTEs rose 0.6 percent from April to May, rising for the eighth consecutive month (Table 1A). Network airlines operate a significant portion of their flights using at least one hub where connections are made for flights to down-line destinations or spoke cities.

The six low-cost carriers reported 4.3 percent more FTEs in May 2015 than in May 2014 (Table 10). Allegiant Airlines, Spirit Airlines, JetBlue Airways, Southwest Airlines and Virgin America reported increases while Frontier Airlines reduced FTEs (Table 12). Month-to-month, the number of low-cost airline FTEs rose 0.6 percent from April to May, rising for the second consecutive month (Table 1A). Low-cost airlines operate under a low-cost business model, with infrastructure and aircraft operating costs below the overall industry average.

The 12 regional carriers reported 0.3 percent fewer FTEs in May 2015 than in May 2014 (Table 13). Eight regional airlines – PSA Airlines, Compass Airlines, Mesa, Republic Airlines, Horizon Air, GoJet Airlines, SkyWest and Envoy – reported increased employment levels. The others reported decreases (Table 15). Month-to-month, the number of regional airline FTEs grew 0.3 percent from April to May (Table 1A). 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 66.8 percent of the 395,626 FTEs employed by all scheduled passenger airlines in May, the six low-cost carriers employed 18.7 percent and the 12 regional carriers employed 12.8 percent (Table 4). The three airlines with the most FTEs in May – United, Delta and American – employed 55.8 percent of the month’s total passenger airline FTEs (Tables 3, 6). In April, the most recent month available, these three airlines carried 40.1 percent of the passengers traveling on the 26 scheduled service passenger airlines that report monthly employment numbers.

Top Employers by Group: Delta employed the most FTEs (78,720) in May among the network airlines, Southwest employed the most FTEs (47,496) among low-cost airlines, and Envoy employed the most FTEs (10,875) among regional airlines. Four of the top five employers in the industry are network airlines (Table 6).

Airline Mergers: Airlines that announce mergers typically begin joint reporting following U.S. Department of Transportation approval and issuance of a single economic certificate. American and US Airways will begin reporting jointly with the report of July employment numbers. The airlines announced a merger in January 2013.

Network Airlines

The network airlines employed 2.7 percent more FTEs in May 2015 than in May 2014 and 1.3 percent more FTEs in May 2015 than in May 2011 (Tables 8, 9).

Low-Cost Airlines

The six low-cost airlines employed 4.3 percent more FTEs in May 2015 than in May 2014 and 11.4 percent more FTEs in May 2015 than in May 2011 (Tables 11, 12).

Regional Airlines

Regional airlines employed 0.3 percent fewer FTEs in May 2015 than in May 2014.  The 12 regional carriers reporting in May 2015 employed 4.6 percent fewer FTEs in May 2015 than the 17 carriers reporting in May 2011 (Tables 14, 15).

Envoy operated as American Eagle prior to April 2014.

Reporting Notes

April FTEs were revised due to revised submissions from Frontier, Allegiant and Island Air Hawaii. FTEs for All Passenger Airlines were revised to 393,533 from 394,176 in the previous release. Low-cost airline FTES were revised to 73,695 from 74,307 in the previous release.

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

The “Other Carrier” category generally reflects those airlines that operate within specific niche markets such as the Hawaiian Islands served by Hawaiian Airlines and Island Air Hawaii.            

Data are compiled from monthly reports filed with BTS by commercial air carriers as of July 14. Additional airline employment data and previous press releases can be found on the BTS website. BTS has scheduled release of June passenger airline employment data for Aug. 13. 

Table 1: Yearly Change 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, Sun Country Airlines and Island Air Hawaii.

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 1A: Monthly Change in Scheduled Passenger Airline Full-time Equivalent Employees* by Airline Group

Percent change in FTEs from the previous month

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, Sun Country Airlines and Island Air Hawaii.

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 2011-2015

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*, May 2011-2015

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*, May 2011-2015

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

* 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, May 2015

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.

*** Envoy operated as American Eagle prior to April 2014

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 2011-2015

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*, May 2011-2015

(FTEs for May of each year. Ranked by May 2015 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.

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 2011-2015

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*, May 2011-2015

(FTEs for May of each year. Ranked by May 2015 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 employment 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 2011-2015

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*, May 2011-2015

(FTEs for May of each year. Ranked by May 2015 FTEs)

Source: Bureau of Transportation Statistics

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

** Envoy Air operated as American Eagle prior to April 2014.

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

**** Endeavor Airlines operated as Pinnacle prior to August 2013. Pinnacle Airlines and Mesaba Airlines began reporting combined numbers in January 2012.

^# Effective July 2012 Chautauqua Airlines began reporting employment data. Chautauqua did not qualify for monthly reporting prior to July 2012 because it did not operate aircraft with more than 60 seats. Effective the end of December 2014, Shuttle America and Chautauqua combined operations and Chautauqua ceased operating.

^## Effective the end of March 2013, Executive Airlines ceased operations.

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

^#### Effective the end of October 2012, Comair 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.