American Airlines plans 19,000 furloughs, layoffs

American Airlines will furlough 17,500 employees and conduct 1,500 layoffs on the management side come Oct. 1, the carrier told employees Tuesday. "Today is the hardest message we have had to share so far – the announcement of involuntary staffing reductions effective Oct. 1," said CEO Doug Parker and President Robert Isom in a letter to employees Tuesday morning. The announcement that thousands of employees will be furloughed this fall is not a surprise, as American Airlines Group, Inc. (Nasdaq:…