US airline workforce up 1.5% in March

US Bureau of Transportation Statistics reported that US airlines employed 1.5% more workers in March compared to the same month last year.

BTS said two network airlines (Alaska Airlines and United Airlines) decreased employment. Delta Air Lines reported 5.1% more workers in March 2011 than in the year-ago month. Continental Airlines, which now includes employees that formerly worked for Continental Micronesia, reported a 0.8% increase.

BTS said that six LCCs (Virgin America, Spirit Airlines, Allegiant Air, JetBlue Airways, AirTran Airways and Southwest Airlines) reported more workers. The seventh LCC, Frontier Airlines, had a 1.3% decrease, according to the report.

Regional carriers (Lynx Airlines, ExpressJet Airlines, Mesa Airlines, Horizon Air, Mesaba Airlines, Comair and Compass Airlines) reported reduced employment levels in March compared to last year, according to BTS.