Delta Air Lines announced plans to bring back all of the pilots currently on inactive status due to the impact of COVID-19 on the aviation industry.
According to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) union said around 1,700 junior pilots who were still out of work would begin returning to service in March.
Previously, Delta officials said 400 pilots would return to work by summer. During the pandemic, the airline offered early retirement packages to more than 1,800 pilots, bringing the total number to around 12,000.
When the inactive pilots return to active duty, they will be required to undergo additional training to ensure they’re ready to fly the restructured fleet of planes they’ll utilize as part of Delta’s updated flight schedule.
The carrier said the gradual return of all pilots this year is part of an overall ramp-up as Delta anticipates a rebound in customer demand into 2022 and 2023.
The pilots who have been on inactive duty were paid a reduced salary through December, when they began receiving full pay. Delta CEO Ed Bastian said the carrier is hoping for a profitable second half of 2021 that leads to a travel boom in 2022 and beyond.
Last month, the airline announced it would continue blocking middle seats and limit capacity on all flights departing through April 30.
