(Reuters) – American Airlines Group Inc said on Thursday it has asked about 3,300 flight attendants on voluntary leave to return in either November or December to meet rising customer demand, according to a letter to staff reviewed by Reuters.
The U.S. airline said it would also begin recruiting and hiring about 800 new flight attendants by March 2022.
“Increasing customer demand and new routes starting later this year mean we need more flight attendants to operate the airline,” the company said.
American Airlines on Tuesday said it expects positive cash flow in the second quarter for the first time since the pandemic began, as rising COVID-19 vaccinations and easing restrictions encourage more people to travel again.
Chief Executive Officer Doug Parker has said demand remains strong in July and for the remainder of the summer, with business customers increasingly returning.
(Reporting by Sanjana Shivdas in Bengaluru; Editing by Devika Syamnath)
