⁍ ‘We’re not going to give up,’ American Airlines CEO Doug Parker said.

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⁍ American plans to halt flights to 15 smaller airports starting Oct. 1 without new assistance.

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⁍ Delta Air Lines and Southwest Airlines, which have stronger balance sheets, have said they will not use the loans.

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– The CEOs of American Airlines, United Airlines, and JetBlue Airways descended on Capitol Hill yesterday in a last-ditch effort to convince Congress to extend a $25 billion government aid program to prevent tens of thousands of employee furloughs. “We’re not going to give up,” American Airlines CEO Doug Parker told reporters. “American Airlines is going to be fine.” Parker said the airline would furlough 19,000 workers on Oct. 1 without the six-month extension of a payroll support program that provides grants to keep workers on the payroll, Reuters reports. United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby said his company would do the same. Delta Air Lines and Southwest Airlines have said they won’t use the government loans, while JetBlue Airways CEO Robin Hayes said a decision will be made in the near future. But Democratic Rep. Jim Himes said the message from the industry feels like a “hostage situation” for workers. “Give me the money for free or we (won’t) take it and we will fire people,” Himes said on a call with airline and union leaders, describing the sentiment as “Give me the money for free or we (won’t) take it and we will fire people.”