American Airlines

U.S. passenger airline traffic fell 60.1% in 2020 to the lowest number since 1984 as the COVID-19 pandemic devastated demand for air travel, the U.S. Transportation Department said on Tuesday.

A winter storm that caused dangerous travel conditions and power outages for thousands forced airlines across the country to cancel flights and issue waivers.

Delta announced on Monday that it was extending its middle-seat block for one more month, to the end of April. Delta, the last U.S. airline to block all middle seats in coach, will consider further extensions based on Covid-19 transmission and vaccination rates.

The Fort Worth-based airline said Wednesday it would furlough more than 1,000 workers, filing a Worker Adjustment Retraining Notification (WARN) notice with the Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry.

With the COVID-19 pandemic still lingering, major U.S. airlines are rerouting traditional flights from major business hubs to more leisurely destinations.

American furloughed 19,000 workers after the first round of government payroll support expired on Oct. 1 but recalled them in December, following approval of an additional $15 billion from Congress. The new round of federal aid requires airlines to keep recalled employees on the payroll through March 31.

Behind GameStop's stock surge is the grim reality of its prospects: The video game retailer is floundering even as the industry around it is booming.

American Airlines workers should brace for another round of furlough warnings as the airline expects to remain overstaffed on April 1, when U.S. aid for industry workers expires, Chief Executive Doug Parker said.

Airlines are hoping that sentiment will improve this year as COVID-19 vaccines are more widely distributed. However, new strains of the virus have triggered tighter rules for international travel in countries including the United States.

American Airlines is the most shorted major U.S. carrier, with roughly 171.3 million of its 610.8 million shares outstanding, or about 28%, currently sold short, according to S&P Capital IQ.

An American Airlines spokesperson told FOX Business the company hopes the new wine delivery program will bring in $40,000 to $50,000 in sales during the first quarter.

American Airlines' wholly-owned regional subsidiary PSA Airlines plans to resume new pilot hiring this year, a positive sign for an industry that was ravaged last year by the coronavirus pandemic but is now preparing to ramp up flying.

The Federal Aviation Administration has said pilots and controllers must not fly or conduct safety-related duties for 48 hours after receiving a COVID-19 vaccine.

A growing list of businesses are pausing or reviewing political contributions in response to efforts against the certification of the Electoral College and the Capitol riot by a group of Trump supporters that followed. 

In the wake of Wednesday's chaos at the Capitol, U.S. airlines are responding by strengthening security measures.

Airlines are working with law enforcement and airport agencies in the Washington area to ensure the safety of travelers and workers

The agency said they were prompted to revise its rules partly because passengers carrying unusual animals on board “eroded the public trust in legitimate service animals.”

The airline- which had never laid off a worker in its 49-year history-- had cautioned just weeks ago that nearly 7,000 workers were in danger of losing their job come within a few months if their unions did not accept pay cuts of about 10%.

The Max was grounded in March 2019 for 20 months after two fatal crashes in five months killed 346 people.

As part of the new package, the airline industry will receive $15 billion for passenger air carriers and $1 billion for contractors to be exclusively used for employee wages, salaries, and benefits. In order to be eligible, airlines must agree to avoid furloughs or pay and benefit reductions until March 31. Airlines are also required to recall employees involuntarily furloughed between Oct. 1 and the date the airlines agree to the bill's rules.