ROANOKE, Va. – Tens of thousands of airline employees could be out of a job soon, now that federal relief funding has officially ended for the airline industry. However, Roanoke-Blacksburg Regional Airport will not feel the effects as harshly as other airports.
American Airlines announced it will furlough 19,000 workers, while United Airlines will likely cut 13,000 employees. Both carriers fly into ROA, but airline spokesperson Brad Boettcher said the furloughs will likely just result in revised flight schedules.
Boettcher said regional airports such as Roanoke are not heavily affected by the furloughs, but large hubs and international airports will be.
“I went through Atlanta a month ago, and they have entire concourses that are closed," Boettcher said. "That’s where you’re going to see more of the impact: mainline flying, and not necessarily the regional flying we have here.”