Columbus Facing Loss of 57 More Airline Jobs
By Marla Matzer Rose, The Columbus Dispatch, Ohio
Jul. 19–Republic Airways will lay off 57 workers at Port Columbus, becoming the latest to announce cutbacks locally as a result of problems in the airline industry.
Locally, Republic’s Chautauqua subsidiary flies smaller regional jets for airlines including American, Delta, US Airways and United.
Each of those carriers has been cutting back locally and nationally amid record oil prices. Regional jet routes have been particularly hard-hit because of the relatively high costs of operating those flights.
In a filing with the state that was made public yesterday, Indianapolis-based Republic said it expects to lay off 57 workers by Sept. 10 as a “result of the significant flight reductions announced by all the network and (low-cost) airlines.”
The specific positions being cut locally were not detailed, and representatives from Republic did not return calls seeking comment. Republic has both flight crew members and mechanics based in Columbus. The cuts are part of 500 layoffs nationwide that Republic announced late last week, representing 10 percent of its work force.
The move marks a dramatic reversal of fortune for Republic, which said in late 2006 that it could add as many as 100 workers to its 667-person work force in central Ohio. The company said Columbus was second only to its headquarters in Indianapolis in terms of employees.
Republic joins American Airlines in announcing layoffs this month. American announced plans to lay off 55 workers in Columbus. In April, the collapse of Columbus-based Skybus Airlines put 365 people out of work in Columbus.
mrose@dispatch.com
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