Delta to furlough nearly 2,000 pilots this fall

Delta Airlines says it is temporarily pulling nearly 2,000 pilots from its cockpits.

The airline announced Monday that it is furloughing 1,941 pilots in October.

Delta says it has a pilot overstaffing situation caused by the coronavirus pandemic, and early retirements will not solve the problem.

Delta reports it currently has more than 11,000 active pilots, but said it only needs less than 9,500 pilots for its peak flying period, which is expected to hit in the summer of 2021.