U.S. scheduled passenger airlines employed 2.7 percent fewer workers in May 2010 than in May 2009, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) reported today. This is the 23rd consecutive decrease in full-time equivalent employee (FTE) levels for the scheduled passenger carriers from the same month of the previous year. FTE calculations count two part-time employees as one full-time employee.

BTS, a part of the Research and Innovative Technology Administration, reported that the May FTE total of 377,000 for the scheduled passenger carriers was 10,500 below that of May 2009. Historic employment data can be found on the BTS web site.

Five network airlines decreased employment from May 2009 to May 2010.  Delta Air Lines, after completing its merger with Northwest Airlines, is reporting combined employment numbers in 2010 and reported 5.8 percent more FTEs in May 2010 than the combined totals of both carriers for May 2009. Network airlines operate a significant portion of their flights using at least one hub where connections are made for flights to down-line destinations or spoke cities.

Southwest Airlines and AirTran Airways were the only low-cost carriers to report a decrease in employees from May 2009. Regional carriers Comair, Atlantic Southeast Airlines, Pinnacle Airlines, Horizon Air, Mesa Airlines, Air Wisconsin Airlines, Mesaba Airlines, Shuttle America Airlines, PSA Airlines, Colgan Airlines and Lynx Airlines also reported reduced employment levels compared to last year.

Scheduled passenger airline categories include network, low-cost, regional and other airlines.

The six network airlines employed 255,500 FTEs in May, 67.8 percent of the passenger airline total, while low-cost carriers employed 17.0 percent and regional carriers employed 13.8 percent.