AirTran hiring pilots, flight attendants again

Southwest Airlines' top executive this week said his airline has no plans to hire employees this year and is trying to reduce headcount through attrition. Dallas-based Southwest is the nation's  largest low-cost carrier.

AirTran's move is a bright spot for both the airline industry and the economy in metro Atlanta, AirTran's main hub and home base for most of its workers. Airlines are among the region's biggest private employers.

About 20 newly-hired pilots have already finished training, AirTran said.

The airline plans to increase its flight capacity by 3 percent to 4 percent this year. Next year, it plans to add seven Boeing 737 jets to its fleet.

AirTran, which no longer has employees on furlough, hired flight attendants last year but hasn't hired pilots in several years.

The pilots and flight attendants coming aboard will help AirTran address some problems in operations, the company said. Over Easter weekend, AirTran said it canceled some flights due to staffing shortages, heavy holiday traffic and crew scheduling issues.

Along with the pilots and flight attendants, AirTran expects to continue to hire ground workers and gate agents.

"We're in a very good position to be able to grow," said AirTran spokesman Christopher White.

Jim Morris, a spokesman for the Air Line Pilots Association at AirTran,  said "it's great" that AirTran is adding employees.

"We also believe that this would be impossible if it had not been for the contribution of the existing pilot group," he said, as the union continues years-long negotiations with the company over a contract. "We think it’s time for the company to finally finish this deal."