Furloughs anticipated without additional federal aid

Airline and labor leaders are urging lawmakers to take immediate action to protect airline employees’ jobs. “We strongly support the call from aviation union leaders to extend the successful Payroll Support Program, which has been vital to preserving the jobs of our hardworking employees – flight attendants, pilots, mechanics, gate agents and others,” said Nicholas Calio, president and CEO of Airlines for America. Thousands of US airline employees face furloughs when the Payroll Support Program expires in March. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg discussed support for airline workers in the next coronavirus relief package, saying, “we need to do and get it right.”