A Boeing 737-990operated by Alaska Airways takes off from JFK Airport on August 24, 2019 within the Queens borough of New York Metropolis.
Bruce Bennett | Getty Photographs
Alaska Airlines is providing flight attendants double pay to choose up further journeys this spring in hopes of avoiding staffing shortfalls forward of an excellent greater bounce in journey demand within the coming months.
Airways rolled out incentives such as bonuses and up to triple pay to pilots and flight attendants late final 12 months to stem staffing shortfalls throughout the busy year-end holidays, however a wave of Covid omicron infections nonetheless sidelined crew members, contributing to hundreds of flight cancellations.
Alaska’s supply reveals the provider is keen to pay crews extra to keep away from flight disruptions from staffing shortfalls, an issue that may rapidly unfold by way of an airline’s community.
“Like many different airways, we face common staffing challenges,” Alaska stated in an announcement. “In response, we’re providing flight attendants pay incentives to fill gaps in staffing for a brief time period this Spring.”
The airline has just lately employed and educated 165 new flight attendants and plans to carry 700 extra on board this June. It had greater than 5,500 flight attendants as of the tip of 2021. Alaska is the fifth-largest U.S. provider with greater than 120 locations in North America and hubs on the West Coast and in Alaska.
The Seattle-based airline approached the flight attendants’ union in regards to the incentive pay, in line with a word to cabin crews despatched Friday.
American Airlines, which goals to rent some 18,000 people this 12 months, and Southwest Airlines, which has targeted 8,000 new employees in 2022, stated they are not presently providing related incentives to Alaska’s.
Airline executives final week stated journey demand has bounced again quicker than they anticipated. In February, bookings and gross sales surpassed pre-pandemic levels for the primary time, in line with Adobe information, and airport safety screenings this week hit the very best since Thanksgiving.
They stated they anticipate that pattern to assist offset a pointy rise in gasoline costs this 12 months, although some carriers, together with Alaska, have trimmed their schedules in response to the upper prices. The airline, nonetheless, stated it expects to be again to pre-Covid capability by the summer season.
Alaska executives will define its plans for the approaching 12 months in an investor day on Thursday.
