ASA furloughs 56 more pilots

Delta Air Lines regional carrier Atlantic Southeast Airlines is furloughing another 56 pilots as it cuts back on flying this fall.

The latest round of cuts comes on top of the furlough of 80 pilots earlier this year, which was the first in Atlanta-based ASA’s history. ASA’s roughly 1,700 pilots are based in Atlanta.

The airline on Monday told the pilots about the cuts, and the furloughs go into effect Sept. 1. ASA spokeswoman Kate Modolo said no other employees are being furloughed.

“The furlough is a direct result of a reduction in our capacity from the original forecast for the fall,” Modolo said.

ASA pilots are represented by the Air Line Pilots Association union, and the furloughs are made based on seniority.

Delta announced last month it would need to make steeper capacity cuts this year than it had previously expected. Its new plan for involves a 10 percent capacity cut this year compared with 2008, instead of its previous plan for a 6 percent to 8 percent reduction. As a Delta Connection carrier, ASA is affected by Delta’s cutbacks in its flying.

Other Delta regional carriers are also furloughing pilots, including Comair and Mesaba. Delta is offering its pilots early retirement packages to cut back its work force.