‘HAPPILY CANCELLED’

American, United Airlines Tell 27,000 Employees to Shred Furloughs After Congress Passes COVID Stimulus

The airlines said extra funding for the Payroll Support Plan would keep their workforces intact.

American Airlines and United Airlines told 27,000 employees Wednesday to disregard notices of impending furloughs following the congressional passage of the American Rescue Plan, the $1.9 trillion stimulus package that received final House approval Wednesday. American’s “Special Jetwire” read, “Congress has passed the American Rescue Plan, which includes additional funding for the Payroll Support Plan… It will extend the commitment that all U.S.-based American Airlines team members will continue to receive pay and benefits through Sept. 30, 2021. For our 13,000 colleagues who received Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification notices last month, those are happily cancelled—you can tear them up!” United Airlines withdrew furlough notices for 14,000 workers late Tuesday as passage of the bill appeared likely. The bill heads to President Joe Biden’s desk Friday.