We’ve sure gone from a pilot shortage to too many pilots pretty quickly…
United pilots have option of voluntary unpaid leave
United Airlines is offering its pilots a voluntary unpaid leave program, as delayed deliveries of new Boeing aircraft is causing the airline to be overstaffed.
United is currently growing the fastest among the major US airlines, though due to production issues at Boeing, the airline has cut its delivery forecast for the year. United expects 15 fewer Boeing 737 MAX 9s and six fewer Boeing 737 MAX 8s than initially planned, leaving the airline with an excess of pilots.
The program United is offering is strictly voluntary, and pilots can take off for a month at a time without pay. So this program currently applies for pilots bidding on schedules for May 2024, though it’s expected that this will continue into the summer, and maybe even into the fall.
Pilots can either take the entire month off, can take specific days off, or can opt for a blank schedule,…
