As members of Congress headed back to D.C. on largely empty planes on Friday to vote on a $2 trillion stimulus package, H.R. 748 (116), the airline industry breathed a sigh of relief. The bill, with $61 billion in loans and grants, meets their immediate needs to stay afloat and keep employees on board. “We’re going to work hard to make a commitment not to furlough people, anyway, but the government grant program could prove to be something that gives us a lot more confidence that we can follow through on that,” said Southwest CEO Gary Kelly. (Airlines must agree to not furlough employees through September to be eligible for $29 billion in grants.)
