Delta Air Lines says it is comfident it can avoid forced layoffs of workers when payroll protection expires after September.
The airline has received a good response to its call for early buyout packages, including early retirement, Reuters reports.
More than 15,000 have applied as of the Monday deadline.
Government funded payroll protection payments run out on October 1 when thousands of airline workers across the industry are expected to be let go.
Southwest Airlines has sounded the alarm that mass layoffs are imminent.
CEO Gary Kelly said the recent surge in Covid-19 cases is hindering the travel recovery and passenger traffic would need to triple by the end of the year for it to avoid job cuts.
"Although furloughs and layoffs remain our very last resort, we can’t rule them out as a possibility obviously in this very bad environment," Kelly said in a memo to employees.
Southwest has given a July 15 deadline for staff to apply for early exits.
United Airlines has already warned up to 36,000 workers could lose their jobs.
The industry’s biggest employer American Airlines is expected to issue furlough warnings to employees within the next week, said Chip Long, American’s managing director of flight line operations.
by Ray Montgomery, US editor
