Even with a quarterly loss, Soutwest Airlines hires more people

April 21, 2009 – 8:48 pm – No Comment

When compared to first quarter 2008, the airlines have eliminated over 27,000 jobs from the industry, a 6.6% drop. In February 2009 passenger carriers had 391,000 employees compared to February 2008 numbers of 419,000.

Dallas-based Southwest Airlines was one of the few major carriers to add employees in the latest period. Southwest grew its work force by 1,473 workers in the year-to-year February period and has more than 35,543 workers total.

Fort Worth-based American Airlines Inc., a subsidiary of AMR Corp. (NYSE: AMR) saw its number of full-time employees in February drop 4.4 percent from 73,200 last year to 69,900 in the most recent period. AMR Corp’s regional carrier American Eagle also experienced a 5 percent drop in full-time employees in February, with the airline recording 9,214 jobs in the most recent 2009 survey, down from 9,704 for February 2008.

Southwest has carried out its distinction as a low-cost carrier that cares about its employees. Unlike other carriers, Southwest knows what matters in the long run rather than what will profit them in the short run. While other carriers were charging for the first checked bag, Southwest stayed true to its low cost nature.