59 ACY Spirit Air Pilots, Attendants Facing Seven-Month Furlough

The lingering Coronavirus crisis has taken a mighty toll on the airline industry and Atlantic City International Airport's sole air carrier Spirit Airlines is no exception.

Spirit Airlines filed a WARN notice Wednesday with the New Jersey Department of Labor saying they plan to furlough 59 employees based at ACY.

According to the Press of Atlantic City, Spirit will furlough 36 pilots and 23 flight attendants for seven months from Oct 1 until May 1, 2021.

In the notice, Spirit gave several reasons that the furloughs were unavoidable.

"....The rapid increase of the Covid-19 coronavirus and its recent resurgence in large parts of the country served by the company, extensions of shelter-in-place guidance, the slowing and reversal of reopening plans, and the recent expansion of quarantines on travelers."

The Press of Atlantic City reports that Spirit estimates an 86% decrease in earnings compared to the second quarter of  2019, with 2020 capacity levels for June, July and August expected to be at 18%, 35% and 45% respectively.

Spirit Airlines pilots have negotiated furlough pay in their collective bargaining agreement, but flight attendants do not.

Federal law mandates that WARN notices be sent 60 days before a furlough or layoff.

Source: Press of Atlantic City