300 pilots to lose jobs

Astar Air Cargo, a unit of Air Transport Services Group, said Thursday it will lay off more than 300 pilots due to DHL cutbacks, reports the Business Courier. The article continues:

The layoffs are expected to be completed by July 1.

According to Air Cargo World’s Web site, Astar announced the pending layoff in a letter to the Air Line Pilots Association, which represents Astar pilots. Astar vice president Rob Miller said in the letter that DHL’s pullback from domestic shipping “has significantly reduced its airlift requirements.”

Astar contract with DHL mostly supported the company’s domestic shipping operations, Air Cargo World said.

DHL, over the past year, has closed Wilmington Air Park, its package shipping hub in Wilmington, and moved operations to the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport.

Air Transport Services Group is a cargo airline company headquartered in Wilmington.