Delta Air Lines plans to hire 3,000 new cabin crew members for the upcoming summer season of 2022. Overwise, it may face a lack of workforce once demand recovers, since thousands of airline employees went on early retirement due to measures that the company took to cut costs as it faced a pandemic-related slump of demand in air travel.
While noticing signs of a rebound in air travel, the Atlanta-based air carrier announced on September 1, 2021, it considered hiring 1,500 flight attendants by the summer of 2022, bringing the total number of cabin crew needed to 3,000 employees. The airline was already looking for 1,500 flight attendants in 2020 but stopped the recruitment process due to the pandemic.
In addition to potential vacancies for cabin crew, Delta also plans to hire other staff, including customer service and ramp agents. The airline did not specify how many employees for such positions it may need.
Even though Delta Airlines (DAL) had to take cost-cutting measures to stay afloat amid the global pandemic, which included labor cost-cutting, it managed to avoid massive staff furloughs or layoffs. However, it offered a part of employees to take their early voluntary retirements, following which in August 2020, 20% of staff, including 4,000 cabin crew, left the company.
In May 2021, Delta issued an order to its personnel requiring them to get vaccinated against the virus. Then, in August 2021, it tightened rules of mandatory vaccination and warned that starting on November 1, 2021, it will charge a $200 monthly fee for every unvaccinated employee to help maintain costs associated with preventing the spread of Coronavirus among its workforce.
