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As the slow recovery in the overall economy continues, the airline industry has returned to profitability. The International Air Transport Association forecasted in September 2011 the global airline industry’s net profits at $6.9 billion for 2011, a sharp increase from its previous forecast of $4 billion. Higher than anticipated travel volume helped push up the profit forecast, according to an IATA official. Apparently more people are traveling and that is good news for careers in flight. If the industry remains profitable, more airlines will be encouraged to add flights or increase the size of planes in their fleet, thus creating more jobs for careers in flight. The association is still warning that the industry still faces some severe headwinds from high oil prices and economic uncertainty, which will keep profits down. But after a decade that severely crippled the industry, including 9-11 and the severe worldwide recession, any profits probably look good. A review of several reports from the travel industry shows leisure travel is expected to rebound in 2011 and business travel continues to pick up. HotelMarketing.com reports that room reservations by business travelers are up 2 percent for the last half of 2011 and first half of 2012 from the previous 12-month period. After hiring came to a halt in the mid ’00s, airlines started recalling furloughed workers and hiring new ones in 2010, according to FlightAttendantJobSearch.com. The website has compiled a long of list of airlines that are now hiring flight attendants. In a recent announcement, US Airways announced it would recall 420 flight attendants in 2011 and station them at Charlotte, Philadelphia, Phoenix and Washington, D.C. The airline attributed the recall to expanding international flights, retirements and putting larger planes in use. Flightattendantcareer.com’s jobs site shows several regional domestic airlines and international airlines are hiring. Once the major airlines get through recalling furloughed workers, the next step for them will be hiring as well. All of this looks good for careers in flight for the next few years. Barring unforeseen circumstances, the current estimate by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics of 8,000 more flight attendant jobs over the next 10 years looks like it will hold up. So, if you are considering a job as a flight attendant or in some other area of customer service for airlines, the outlook for getting a job looks good. You may have to search the entire globe to find the job you want, but the chances are better of getting it than they have been for more than 10 years. The Airline Academy, based in Daytona Beach, Fla., can prepare you for those careers in flight and also help you with job placement.
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