Airlines Employed Fewer Pilots, Maintenance Workers in 2007

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Contact BTS 26-08 Dave Smallen 202-366-5568

Tuesday, May 27, 2008 - U.S. scheduled passenger airlines employed 4 percent fewer pilots and 32 percent fewer maintenance workers in 2007 than in 2000, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) reported today (Table 1). 

The seven large network carriers employed 29.9 percent fewer pilots and 42.6 percent fewer maintenance workers in 2007 than in 2000.  The six low-cost carriers now operating employed 24.2 percent more pilots and 2.1 percent more maintenance workers from 2000 to 2007.

United Airlines had the largest reduction in pilots of any network airline from 2000 to 2007 while Alaska Airlines was the only network airline to add pilots during that time.  Northwest Airlines had the largest reduction in maintenance workers of any network airline from 2000 to 2007 while Alaska and Continental Airlines were the only network carriers to add maintenance employees during that time (Table 2). 

All of the low-cost carriers added pilots from 2000 to 2007.  JetBlue Airways had the largest increase while Frontier Airlines had the smallest gain.  JetBlue also had the largest increase in maintenance workers of any low-cost airline from 2000 to 2007 while Spirit Airlines had the only reduction (Table 3). 

Scheduled passenger airlines include network, low-cost, regional and other airlines.  Network carriers operate a significant portion of their flights using at least one hub where connections are made for flights on a spoke system. Low-cost carriers are those that the industry recognizes as operating under a low-cost business model, with lower infrastructure costs and higher productivity.

Airlines that meet the reporting standards report annual employment numbers by job category to BTS.  The annual numbers are a 12-month average for the year and are not comparable to the full-time equivalent employee numbers issued monthly by BTS.

Airlines that operate at least one aircraft with the capacity to carry combined passengers, cargo and fuel of 18,000 pounds – the payload factor – and have annual operating revenue of more than $20 million must report annual employment data.

Pilots

The seven network carriers employed 13.5 pilots per aircraft in 2007, down from 15.0 pilots per aircraft in 2000.   The low-cost carriers employed 11.1 pilots per aircraft in 2007, down from 13.3 pilots per aircraft in 2000 even though all of the low-cost carriers added pilots from 2000 to 2007 (Table 4).

Northwest had 12.4 pilots per aircraft in 2007, down from 14.2 per aircraft in 2000, the fewest of any network airline.  United, with 14.7 per aircraft, down from 18.8 per aircraft in 2000, had the largest decline in the number of pilots per aircraft from 2000 to 2007 but still had the most pilots per aircraft of any network carrier. Continental, which had the fewest pilots per aircraft of any network carrier in 2000, was the only one of the group to have more pilots per aircraft in 2007 than in 2000 (Table 5). 

Allegiant Airlines had 9.6 pilots per aircraft in 2007, the fewest of any low-cost airline.  Allegiant did not report employment data by category in 2000.  JetBlue, with 14.1 per aircraft, down from 38.3 per aircraft in 2000, its start-up year, had the most pilots per aircraft of the six major low-cost carriers (Table 6). 

Maintenance

The passenger airlines had 8.3 maintenance workers per aircraft in 2007, down from 13.0 per aircraft in 2000.  The network airlines had 12.3 maintenance workers per aircraft in 2007, down from 16.6 per aircraft in 2000.  Spending by network airlines for outsourced maintenance increased from 29.6 percent of total maintenance spending in 2000 to 45.3 percent in 2007 (Table 7).

The low-cost airlines had 3.6 maintenance workers per aircraft in 2007, down from 5.2 per aircraft in 2000.  Spending by low-cost airlines for outsourced maintenance increased from 52.0 percent of total maintenance spending in 2000 to 54.2 percent in 2007 (Table 7).

Northwest had 0.8 maintenance workers per aircraft in 2007, the fewest of any network airline and down from 13.9 employees per aircraft in 2000.  Northwest’s spending for outsourcing increased from 23.8 percent of total spending in 2000 to 71.0 percent in 2007.  American Airlines had 22.4 maintenance workers per aircraft in 2007, the most of any network airline and up from 21.4 employees per aircraft in 2000.  American’s spending for outsourcing was unchanged at 23.4 percent of total maintenance spending in 2007 (Table 8).

Allegiant had 3.1 maintenance workers per aircraft in 2007 the fewest of any low-cost airline.  Allegiant’s spending for outsourcing maintenance work was 34.6 percent of its total maintenance spending.  Allegiant did not report employment data by category or maintenance expenses in 2000.   Frontier had 7.7 maintenance workers per aircraft in 2007, the most of any low-cost airline but down from 12.8 employees per aircraft in 2000.  Frontier’s spending for outsourcing increased from 16.6 percent of total maintenance spending in 2000 to 20.5 percent in 2007 (Table 9).

Reporting Notes

Data are compiled from annual reports filed with BTS by commercial air carriers as of May 1. There were 36 reporting scheduled passenger carriers in 2007.

Additional airline employment data and the list of reporting carriers can be found on the BTS website at http://www.bts.gov/programs/airline_information/number_of_employees/labor_category/index.html

Table 1: Change in Passenger Airline Employees, Maintenance Workers and Pilots 2000-2007

Total Passenger Airlines, Network Airlines and Low-Cost Airlines

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Source: Bureau of Transportation Statistics, P-10

* All scheduled passenger airlines reporting annual employment numbers to BTS: 30 in 2000, 33 in 2005, 37 in 2006, 36 in 2007.

** Five airlines in 2000, six in 2005, 2006 and 2007.

Table 2: Change in Network Airline Employees, Maintenance Workers and Pilots 2000-2007

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Source: Bureau of Transportation Statistics, P-10

Table 3: Change in Low-Cost Airline Employees, Maintenance Workers and Pilots 2000-2007

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Source: Bureau of Transportation Statistics, P-10

* Allegiant did not meet the standard for reporting in 2000.  The standard is operation of at least one aircraft with the capacity to carry combined passengers, cargo and fuel of 18,000 pounds – the payload factor – and annual operating revenue of more than $20 million. 

Table 4: Change in Passenger Airline Pilots and Pilots Per Aircraft 2000-2007

Total Passenger Airlines, Network Airlines and Low-Cost Airlines

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Source: Bureau of Transportation Statistics, P-10

* All scheduled passenger airlines reporting annual employment numbers to BTS: 30 in 2000, 33 in 2005, 37 in 2006, 36 in 2007.

** Five airlines in 2000, six in 2005, 2006 and 2007

Table 5: Change in Passenger Airline Pilots and Pilots Per Aircraft 2000-2007

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Source: Bureau of Transportation Statistics, P-10

Table 6: Change in Low-Cost Airline Pilots and Pilots Per Aircraft 2000-2007

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Source: Bureau of Transportation Statistics, P-10

* Allegiant did not meet the standard for reporting in 2000.  The standard is operation of at least one aircraft with the capacity to carry combined passengers, cargo and fuel of 18,000 pounds – the payload factor – and annual operating revenue of more than $20 million. 

Table 7: Change in Passenger Airline Maintenance Employees Per Aircraft and Percent of Maintenance Spending Outsourced* 2000-2007

Total Passenger Airlines, Network Airlines and Low-Cost Airlines

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Source: Bureau of Transportation Statistics, P-10

* Percent of total maintenance spending that is contracted outside the airline

** All scheduled passenger airlines reporting annual employment numbers to BTS: 30 in 2000, 33 in 2005, 37 in 2006, 36 in 2007.

*** Five airlines in 2000, six in 2005, 2006 and 2007

Table 8: Change in Network Airline Maintenance Employees Per Aircraft and Percent of Maintenance Spending Outsourced* 2000-2007

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Source: Bureau of Transportation Statistics, P-10

* Percent of total maintenance spending that is contracted outside the airline

Table 9: Change in Low-Cost Airline Maintenance Employees Per Aircraft and Percent of Maintenance Spending Outsourced* 2000-2007

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Source: Bureau of Transportation Statistics, P-10

* Percent of total maintenance spending that is contracted outside the airline

** Allegiant did not meet the standard for reporting in 2000.  The standard is operation of at least one aircraft with the capacity to carry combined passengers, cargo and fuel of 18,000 pounds – the payload factor – and annual operating revenue of more than $20 million.