New York City-based Wheels Up, a provider of "on demand" private aviation in the United States and one of the largest private aviation companies in the world, has announced an 11% reduction in force, mostly among the pilots who fly Beechcraft twin-turboprop King Air aircraft.
The layoffs impact up to 100 professional King Air pilots. In April, 2024, the company consolidated maintenance facilities, closing its repair bases in Broomfield, Colorado, and Cincinnati, with significant layoffs.
According to a company statement, “Aligning our pilot organization with the size of our fleet is critical to the success and health of our business, and the abnormalities in the industry over these last few months made appropriate staffing forecasting against regular attrition challenging. As we navigate through this difficult period of change, we want to once again acknowledge the pivotal roles that all of our team members play in ensuring our operation reflects the high standards we have set for ourselves, our members, and our customers.”
Wheels Up is owned by a consortium with Delta Airlines owning a majority share.
Change is coming. There will always be a tomorrow, no matter how much you may try to ignore it. There are no guarantees in life or promises for a bright future. We see good people being laid off through no fault of their own. Just because something bad hasn't happened yet doesn't mean it won't. It can happen to anyone, anytime, anywhere. No one is guaranteed to wake up tomorrow and still have a job by evening. Are you now wondering, Am I Next?