Delta to hire 240 pilots later this year

Delta Air Lines plans to begin hiring about 240 pilots later this year, amid signs of an improving economy.

In a memo to pilots, Delta’s senior vice president Steve Dickson wrote that the company will begin hiring pilots after this summer.

Atlanta-based Delta decided not to furlough pilots last year, although it cut flight schedules amid the economic downturn. Even so, with an improving economy in sight, Delta now plans to increase wide-body aircraft flights planned later this year. The new hires also will help ramp up staffing in preparation for summer 2011, as well as offset forecast retirements.

Dickson wrote in the memo that the company has “conducted a thorough analysis over the last several weeks” to determine how many pilots it needs over the next 15 months.

The pilots union at Delta welcomed the news.

Delta’s last round of new pilot hiring was in 2007, according to the company.

Delta’s announcement about pilot hiring this year follows AirTran’s plans to hire 159 pilots and 135 flight attendants this year as it resumes growth.

Source: AJC