JetBlue is planning to hire 700 new pilots and flight attendants before the busy summer season. According to CNBC, Ed Baklor, head of the airline’s customer care and programs, notified crews of the upcoming increase in staff, and said the hiring won’t just be for peak periods.
Though the airline is expecting an extremely busy spring and summer, largely due to the continual relaxing of COVID restrictions around the world, it wants to avoid the post-peak overstaffing that could come along with seasonal hiring.
Friday, Baklor emailed JetBlue’s flight attendants, urging them to be patient while the airline works to hire new staff.
“Please do not refuse an assignment you are assigned to operate; it is disruptive to the operation, lets down your fellow Crewmembers, and disappoints our Customers who rely on us to safely get them to their destination,” said Baklor in the email, which was seen by an employee of CNBC.
JetBlue is not alone in its scramble to meet increased staffing needs brought on by the travel surge. With the demand for travel continuing to increase, many airlines are having to hire more workers and offer incentives to encourage their current employees to work more hours.
Just last week, Alaska Airlines agreed to offer its flight attendants double pay once they have completed more than 100 trips per pay, through the month of May. (The pay unit is based on trip length rather than actual flights.)
By ensuring they have enough staff to meet the demand, airlines are hoping to avoid problems like mass cancelations and stranded passengers, issues encountered late last year, around the busy holiday period.
During this time, Southwest offered its workers incentives such as Rapid Rewards points, double pay, and even as much as triple pay.
American Airlines offered time-and-a-half pay to to cabin crew members who covered certain day ranges during this period. Those with no absences for these days were able to receive an additional 150 percent pay.
Related: Alaska Airlines Makes Promise To Hire More Black Female Pilots
