Passenger airline employment highest since recession

The U.S. Department of Transportation's Passenger Airline Employment data released on June 18 shows scheduled passenger airlines have raised full time equivalent people (FTEs) employed by 2.6 percent in April 2015 compared with April 2014.

When considered month-to-month, the amount of FTEs between March and April increase 0.9 percent for the fourth month in a row. The total FTEs is approximately 400,000, the highest amount since September 2008, which was the last month before the recession began impacting airlines.

The data, which was from the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, show that this is the highest point for airline employment since the recession. This is the 17th consecutive month for increases in airline employment over the same month the year before.

The ongoing growth pattern for air travel shows that the U.S. national airspace is a growing industry.

"Passing the pre-recession point in passenger airline employment is further evidence that the Obama administration's approach to growing America's economy is working,” Secretary of Transportation Anthony Foxx said. “We've seen it in freight growth; we've seen it in rail and transit passenger growth; and we've seen it in highway miles traveled. Between goods and passengers, this is a nation once again on the move."