The chief executives of the largest US airline companies asked Congress Saturday for urgent help avoiding widespread layoffs among the industry’s 750,000 employees. “Unless worker payroll protection grants are passed immediately, many of us will be forced to take draconian measures such as furloughs,” the CEOs said in a letter to leaders of both houses of Congress distributed by the Airlines for America trade group. Airlines for America represents American Airlines, United Airlines, Delta Air Lines and Southwest Airlines as well as shippers FedEx and UPS.
