Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2009 | 3:33 p.m.
US Airways, the second busiest air carrier at McCarran International Airport, will cut dozens of jobs at the Las Vegas airport later this year.
Chief executive Doug Parker made the announcement in a letter to employees made public this afternoon by the airline. US Airways’ McCarran station was notified Tuesday morning.
Parker said 233 airport support positions would be cut nationwide at 10 airports with Las Vegas, Pittsburgh and Tucson, Ariz., being the hardest hit by the decision.
US Airways officials wouldn’t say how many jobs would be cut at McCarran. As of today, the airline had 817 Las Vegas-based employees.
An aviation industry source believes that less than 65 jobs here would be cut.
“This is an extremely difficult decision and one we did not take lightly,” Parker said in his letter. “We have been proud that US Airways has managed through the recent industry turmoil and downsizing with fewer job reductions than many of our peers. That is still the case after this reduction, but that doesn’t make it any easier.”
Valerie Wunder, a spokeswoman for the airline, said the cuts would involve gate and ticket counter staff, baggage handlers and aircraft marshals.
US Airways has steadily decreased its presence at McCarran over the last 18 months.
The airline once had about 140 daily round trips in and out of Las Vegas. Today, it’s down to an average of 73 a day. At one time, US Airways operated a night hub at McCarran, connecting travelers to other destinations at the local airport in the late evening. The night hub was eliminated last summer when fuel costs soared and it became more economical to ground planes than fly them with empty seats.
The suburban Phoenix-based airline will soon distribute its spring and summer flight schedule. Last month, in a Securities and Exchange Commission filing, the airline indicated it would cut capacity by 8 percent to 10 percent in 2009, but it didn’t say whether Las Vegas would be affected.
Wunder said the job cuts are in conjunction with the airline’s reduced flying schedule in Las Vegas. She said some Las Vegas employees may be offered jobs at other US Airways stations and those who don’t move will be offered severance pay based on the airline’s agreements in the employees’ respective union contracts.
“These are uncertain times marked by less business flying, fewer family vacations and rising unemployment,” Parker said at the conclusion of his letter to employees. “Even though today’s news is part of our previously announced capacity reductions, losing 233 airport positions is a step we had hoped to avoid, primarily through attrition.
“In these uncertain times, we all need to keep doing what we do best: run a reliable airline, keep our costs low and take care of our customers. Eventually that will return us to profitability and hopefully put an end to the need for fewer positions.”
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