Northwest Airlines Back In Hiring Mode
Furloughed Northwest Airlines pilots are responding to the carrier’s new hiring call. The Associated Press more than 1,400 pilots have applied to join Northwest, including more than 1,000 applications in the first eight days after the new recruitment was announced on July 24.The report also cites Northwest’s plan to hire 250 to 350 new pilots in the next year. It has also recalled nearly 400 furloughed pilots. Those pilots need some training before they can begin flying again, but 230 of them were at the controls by Aug. 1, and 40 more will be flying by the end of the month, Northwest said. Northwest canceled hundreds of flights at the end of June and July because it did not have enough pilots.

The Airline Pilots Association recently ratified an agreement with Northwest Airlines management on contract issues and work rules. Both groups report the new contract will “help improve the airline’s operational performance and reliability.” Northwest wants to continue discussions with each of its unions to explore cost-neutral ways to improve employees’ work environment, and the airline also has established a Summer Reliability Incentive Program under which all contract employees, including pilots, will receive incentive pay equal to 15 percent of eligible earnings, up to $1,000, for achieving appropriate attendance standards from Aug. 4 through Sept. 3, 2007, inclusive.

New Contract for Flight Attendants
In other news, the airline’s management and the flight attendant union leaders approved a new contract agreement. Under the new agreement, the airline’s flight attendants will receive a $182 million secured claim, which will be sold for cash and distributed when the company leaves bankruptcy protection. Northwest exited bankruptcy protection just two weeks ago. The carrier ended its 19-month bankruptcy on May 31 with $2.5 billion in annual cost savings and an equity value of about $7.8 billion.

In July, Northwest with approval from a bankruptcy judge, imposed $195 million in concessions on its flight attendants after they voted down two contract proposals. In contrast, employees will each benefit from an estimated $15,000 payout in their hands in exchange for their concessions. By approving the new contract, flight attendants will split up a $182 million claim in Northwest’s bankruptcy reorganization.

Northwest Airlines is one of the world’s largest airlines with hubs at Detroit, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Memphis, Tokyo and Amsterdam, and approximately 1,400 daily departures. Northwest is a member of SkyTeam, an airline alliance that offers customers one of the world’s most extensive global networks. Northwest and its travel partners serve more than 1,000 cities in excess of 160 countries on six continents. As you can imagine, its fleet is sizeable, including the venerable Boeing 747. Enjoy this week’s video clip of a classic Northwest Airlines jet in action.