Air Wisconsin Airlines laying off 361 employees
Air Wisconsin Airlines is laying off 361 workers in Milwaukee and Appleton as the coronavirus pandemic keeps travelers off planes.
The layoffs come as a result of decreased flying operations with United Airlines, Air Wisconsin said in a letter to the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development.
“This decrease in flying is reflective of the decreased travel demands within the industry due to COVID-19,” Air Wisconsin Managing Director of Human Resources Tina Vos wrote in the letter.
The majority of the employees facing a layoff are based in Milwaukee at Mitchell International Airport. The layoffs will take effect Oct. 1.
“At this point in time this is a temporary layoff,” Vos wrote. “The layoff time period is unknown, as it will be dependent on the increase in travel demands and United Airline’s need for Air Wisconsin’s flying services.” The laid-off employees have been notified.
Of the 361 affected employees, 317 are represented by either the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, Airline Pilots Association or Association of Flight Attendants.
Air Wisconsin has operated as a regional airline since 1965 when it was founded to fly between Appleton and Chicago. It flies for United Airlines as United Express throughout the Midwest and East Coast.
The travel industry has been decimated by the pandemic as people stay at or near home. Potawatomi Hotel & Casino recently laid off more than half of its workforce — about 1,600 workers. More than 400 Milwaukee hotel workers were laid off earlier in July. ALG Vacations Corp. laid off 149 Milwaukee employees last month.