US airlines employed 715,017 workers in the middle of April 2020, almost 37,000 fewer than in mid-March 2020 and almost 21,000 fewer than in April 2019. The April 2020 numbers consist of 604,551 full-time and 110,466 part-time workers.

Regulations require airlines to report employment numbers to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics for employees who worked or received pay for any part of the pay period(s) ending nearest the 15th day of the month.

The April 2020 number of employees was the lowest for the airlines since April 2018 when there were 712,184 workers.

Total employment (full-time + part-time) by U.S. airlines (passenger + cargo):

Individual airline numbers are available on the BTS airline employment web page. The web page provides full-time and part-time employment numbers by carrier by month from 1990 through April 2020.

Reports are from all U.S. airlines including scheduled passenger, charter and cargo that meet the reporting standard. 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 next web update for full-time and part-time employment is scheduled for July 9. The BTS press release on full-time equivalent employment for scheduled passenger airlines through April, with historic comparisons and summary tables, will be issued June 16.

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