Alaska Airlines Warns Hundreds Of Bay Area Employees Of Possible Layoffs
SAN FRANCISCO INT'L AIRPORT (CBS SF) -- Alaska Airlines is warning it may have to lay off thousands of employees, including hundreds in the Bay Area, as air travel has plummeted during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
The job cuts could affect more than 600 workers at San Francisco International Airport and the airline's Burlingame offices. Meanwhile, 48 employees in San Jose could also be laid off.
Layoffs would include customer service agents, flight attendants and maintenance technicians.
Alaska sent layoff warnings to about 4,200 employees in total.
As for pilot layoffs, the airline sent KPIX 5 a statement Monday, which said in part, "We were able to prevent involuntary pilot furloughs through a combination of voluntary leaves and early outs, which allow us to keep all of our pilots employed beyond September 30."
Alaska's announcement comes as American Airlines warned that it could soon lay off 378 employees at SFO.
The layoffs are expected to come in early October.