FILE - In this May 28, 2020 file photo, travelers check in at the American Airlines terminal at the Los Angeles International Airport in Los Angeles.
American Airlines says it will furlough or lay off 19,000 employees in October as it struggles with a sharp downturn in travel because of the pandemic.
(AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez, File )DALLAS American Airlines said Tuesday it will eliminate 19,000 jobs in October as it struggles with a sharp downturn in travel because of the pandemic.
U.S. air travel plunged 95% by April, a few weeks after the first significant coronavirus outbreaks in the United States.
In March, passenger airlines got $25 billion from the government to save jobs for six months, and American was the biggest beneficiary, receiving $5.8 billion.