Local aeronautics expert predicts airline layoffs come fall

Doug Johnson reports

WHEN YOU COMPARE JUNE WITHPREVIOUS MONTHS, IT'S ACTUALLYSLOWLY STARTING TO PICK BACKUP.IT WAS AMAZING HOW QUICKLYAIR TRAVEL COLLAPSED IN THEBEGINNING OF THE COVID-19PANDEMIC SCOTT MILLER IS ANAIR NOT PROFESSOR ATSACRAMENTO CITY COLLEGE SAYSAFTER RECORD LOW SPRINGDOMESTIC AIR TRAVEL IS SLOWLYSTARTING TO INCREASE ANDAIRLINES HAVE BEEN RESPONDINGIN KIND SLOWLY INCREASINGTHEIR SCHEDULE BUT IN MARCHAPRIL AND MAY MILLER SAYS SOMEAIRLINES HAD TO CUT THEIRFLIGHTS BY 90%.

THAT'S WHY INAPRIL 10 OF THE NATION'SBIGGEST AIRLINES RECEIVED ABILLION BAILOUT FROM THEFEDERAL GOVERNMENT BUT IT ALSOPREVENTED AIRLINES FROM LAYINGOFF EMPLOYEES UNTILHOWEVER TODAY THE FACTSTILL REMAINS MOST AIRLINESDON'T BE THE SAME AMOUNT OFEMPLOYEES THEY DID BEFORE THECOVID-19 PANDEMIC ONINTERNATIONAL FLIGHTS WHICHMILLER SAYS ARE ALMOSTNONEXISTENT.THAT'S WHY MANY AIRLINESHAVE ASKED EMPLOYEES TOVOLUNTEER TO BE FURLOUGHED.THAT ALLOWS THE AIRLINES TOMINIMIZE THEIR COSTS WHILESTILL TRYING TO RIGHT SIZE THELABOR FORCE THE AMOUNT OFFLYING THEY ARE DOING.YOU KNOW SOME OF THOSEFURLOUGHS ARE ONLY 4 MONTHS.BELIEVES LAYOFFS ARE LIKELY TOWE WILL SEE SOMEINVOLUNTARY FURLOUGHS.THE ONLY QUESTION IS HOWLONG WILL IT BE MILLER SAYSTHAT SHOULD NOT AFFECT FLIGHTSCHEDULES AS AIRLINES SHOULDALWAYS HAVE ENOUGH PEOPLE TOOPERATE AND THE AIRLINES AREABLE TO PREDICT BASED ONBOOKING LEVELS FAIRLYACCURATELY HOW MANY PEOPLEWILL NEED FOR A GIVING LITTLERESISTANCE AIRLINE TO KEEP THEMIDDLE SEAT OPEN INCLUDINGSEAT AFTER EVERY PLAY HEBELIEVES FLYING IS VERY SAFEDURING THIS PANDEMIC AND THEAIR IN THE CABIN AND SELLALTHOUGH RECIRCULATED IS RUNTHROUGH THE FILTERS WHICH AREEFFECTIVE AGAINST THE VIRUS.AND WHAT'S MORE ABOUT EVERY20 MINUTES.

THE AIR ISCOMPLETELY EXCHANGED OUT OFTHE CABIN.NOW YOU MAY HAVE NOTICED,I'M WEARING A MASK EVEN THOUGHTHERE'S REALLY NOBODY AROUNDWITH THAT'S THE AIRPORT RULESNOW THEY SAY BE PREPARED TOWEAR A MASK, NOT ONLY AT THEAIRPORT YOU'RE LEAVING FROMBUT ALSO WHILE YOU'RE ON THEPLANE AND AT THE AIRPORTYOU'RE ARRIVING TOO SO IF YOUHAVE A VERY LONG FLIGHT OFCOURSE YOU CAN TAKE IT OFFWHEN YOU EAT OR DRINK, BUT YOUSHOULD EXPECT TO BE WEARING