ASA To Furlough 80 Pilots

Atlantic Southeast Airlines sent furlough notices to 80 pilots last month as partner Delta Air Lines pares back Bombardier CRJ flying. The furloughs take effect February 9. Delta plans to cut its domestic capacity by 8 percent to 10 percent this year in response to falling travel demand. ASA employs about 1,700 pilots, many of whom will fly CRJ900s for the first time this spring due to a recent decision by Delta to move 10 of the jets last scheduled to fly with Northwest Airlink carrier Mesaba Airlines to ASA. Now flying 110 CRJ200s and 39 CRJ700s, ASA retired 12 ATR 72s last year.