Delta to hire 240 pilots later in year

By Kelly Yamanouchi

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Delta Air Lines plans to begin hiring about 240 pilots later this year, amid signs of an improving economy.

In a memo to pilots, Delta's senior vice president Steve Dickson wrote that the company will begin hiring pilots after this summer.

Atlanta-based Delta decided not to furlough pilots  last year, although it cut flight schedules amid the economic downturn. Even so, with an improving economy in sight, Delta now plans to increase wide-body aircraft flights planned later this year. The new hires also will help ramp up staffing in preparation for summer 2011, as well as offset forecast retirements.

Dickson wrote in the memo that the company has "conducted a thorough analysis over the last several weeks" to determine how many pilots it needs over the next 15 months.

The pilots union at Delta welcomed the news.

"We are pleased that in a fragile industry environment our company is aggressively seeking flying opportunities that will require additional pilots," said Buzz Hazzard, a spokesman for the Air Line Pilots Association at Delta, in a written statement. "We will look forward to welcoming pilots to our ranks."

Delta's last round of new pilot hiring was in 2007, according to the company.

Dickson said job candidates can go to airlineapps.com to apply, while hiring requirements are on Delta's Web site.

Delta's announcement about pilot hiring this year  follows AirTran's plans to hire 159 pilots and 135 flight attendants this year as it resumes growth. Delta said it does not plan to hire flight attendants this year.