Having laid-off staff during COVID lockdowns, airlines and airports are now struggling to replace and retain them, as the travel industry recovers. Free iPhones are among the incentives being used to try to persuade staff to remain in the industry …
Demand for aviation staff exceeds supply
Aviation was among the hardest-hit industries during COVID lockdowns. Some countries – like Argentina – simply cancelled all flights, in and out. Others imposed imposed restrictions so stringent that almost nobody could fly.
With huge fixed costs, and little to no revenue, airlines and airports alike laid off huge numbers of workers. But now that the travel industry is recovering, many former employees found work in other sectors, while many of those close to retirement decided to retire early.
The demand for airline and airport staff now greatly exceeds supply, leaving companies scrabbling to find ways to recruit – or even hold onto the staff they already have.
Free iPhones among the incentives being tried
Reuters reports that the problem is worst among low-skilled jobs like baggage-handling, where workers have found better salaries elsewhere.
The North American aviation industry is wooing workers with daycare centers, cheaper transport and free iPhones to compete in a tight market where salaries for entry-level, low-skilled jobs often lag those at e-commerce companies like Amazon.
Free or subsidised childcare has been one major focus.
The city of Phoenix’s aviation department, which runs the Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, has launched a childcare program for airport workers and plans to build a childcare facility on airport property. The department currently has 133 of 171 jobs vacant.
Since its launch, 37 airport workers have joined the program, which covers daycare costs partially. The city of Phoenix is also spending $1 million to develop a separate childcare facility next to the airport.
Free shuttles and subsidised commuting is another approach, while one ground-handling company has offered thousands of free iPhones.
Ground handling company Unifi, which provides labor and equipment to Delta, United, and Alaska Airlines, has […] turned to incentive programs to retain talent, McPherson said.
For example, it last year gave away brand new cars to three employees and smartphones, including free iPhones, to over 3,000 workers who met performance targets, a company spokesperson said. It is now offering emergency funds and sponsoring a program that allows employees to pay for purchases such as appliances and computers over time, the spokesperson added.
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