The head of a group representing major US passenger airlines and a senior union official made the case to lawmakers on Tuesday for a third round of federal government assistance, according to testimony seen by Reuters.
The US$1.9 trillion Covid-19 relief package approved by the US House last week includes another US$14 billion for passenger airlines to keep workers on payrolls for an additional six months. It awaits action by the US Senate. He warned that without the new round of assistance tens of thousands of aviation workers will “lose their jobs – or experience reductions to wages and benefits – effective April 1.”
The current Covid-19 bill also includes US$8 billion for airports and concessionaires and US$1 billion for airline contractors.