November-December 2022 - 22

AIRPORT GURU
AUTHOR Curt Castagna
Private Sector Holds
Key to Our Nation's
Economic Recovery
STORIES ABOUT flight cancellations and delays, stranded
passengers, lost luggage and long security lines
at airports have made headlines over the last several
months and will increase during the holiday travel season.
What continues to fuel these disturbances?
Studies show the aviation industry
has been one of the economic sectors
most negatively impacted by the
COVID-19 pandemic. According to
the California Department of Public
Health, employees in the air transportation
industry were 3.5 percent times
more likely to experience COVID-19
outbreaks at their job sites compared
to California industries overall.
To survive the global health crisis,
many public and private employers
were forced to make significant
staff reductions, impose layoffs and
offer alternative work options, such
as telecommuting and flexible work
schedules. These measures significantly
contributed to a severe labor shortage
across a wide range of industries,
including aviation and aerospace.
Over time, as COVID workplace
prevention measures were lifted, many
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
CURT CASTAGNA
employees expected pandemic-related
benefits to continue as the new
normal. Others either found employment
elsewhere or decided to pursue
less-demanding work with better pay
and benefits - contributing to a movement
commonly referred to as " The
Great Resignation. " A key takeaway
is that, as a result of the pandemic,
people have fundamentally changed
the way they define the role of work
in their lives.
Most recently, a new trend called
Curt Castagna, president and CEO of Aeroplex Group
Partners, is the current chair of the Los Angeles
County Airport Commission, president of the Van
Nuys and Long Beach airport associations, and
president/CEO of the National Air Transportation
Association. A certified private and instrument-rated
pilot, he continues to instruct courses in aviation
administration at Cypress Community College, and
Cal State Los Angeles.
" Quiet Quitting " has entered the
employment arena as we emerge
from the pandemic. Calling it an
effort to set better boundaries for
work-life balance, some workers
have decided to perform the bare
minimum in their jobs. Public services
like fire and police protection
are just a few of the jobs that often
require long hours and
working weekends, and
which may be impacted
by this change in public
attitudes and work levels.
Private aviation business,
like many other organizations
vying for the best
talent, have outpaced public
sector employers in keeping
aware of these employment
22 \ AIRPORT BUSINESS / NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2022
challenges and taking a proactive
approach. However, workforce shortages
in business and commercial aviation
still appear at all levels, ranging
from mechanics and line service personnel
to pilots, flight attendants and
air traffic controllers.
According to the Nat iona l
Business Aircraft Association, the
U.S. aircraft maintenance industry
alone lost 50,000 jobs during
the early months of the pandemic.
In addition, The Boeing Company
projects that more than 600,000 new
pilots and technicians are needed to
address projected aviation and aerospace
industry growth in the next
20 years.
The good news for airport businesses
is that demand for air travel has
recovered faster than expected, and
private-sector employment is rising.
A Pew analysis of Labor Department
data shows the private sector has
been quicker than the public sector
to implement the changes needed,
such as pay increases and more flexible
benefits, to retain staff. In fact,
the year-over-year growth rate for
hourly private sector salary and wages
in 2021 exceeded that for state and
local governments by the largest
margin on record.
November-December 2022

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of November-December 2022
