Abu Dhabi-based state-owned carrier Etihad Airways has let go of hundreds of employees this month, including cabin crews, according to reports in the media.
The job cuts by Etihad Airways are a part of the measures undertaken by the carrier to survive the coronavirus pandemic, which has forced almost all carriers across the globe to cancel all operations.
An Etihad spokesperson told Reuters, “The coronavirus pandemic has brought unprecedented challenges to businesses around the world, and Etihad is no exception. It is clear the demand for travel in the near future will be significantly reduced and as a result, we must make difficult decisions to ensure Etihad will weather this storm… we have had to make redundancies across several areas of our business to reflect current market conditions.”
By the end of December 2019, Etihad Airways had 20,369 employees under its payroll.
In the month of March, media reports suggested that employees of Etihad have taken a pay cut of 50 percent to help the carrier weather the coronavirus crisis.
Last month, in a statement, Etihad revealed that it will fly to Brussels, Dublin, London, Zurich, and Tokyo between April 14 and 22.
The special flights by Etihad are announced to help those wishing to leave the country who have been forced to stay put due to the global shutdown as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
Average airfare in the Middle East could jump by 50 percent due to the social distancing measures adopted to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus, according to the International Air Transport Association(IATA).
IATA predicts airfare in the Middle East and African (MEA) region would increase significantly from an average of Dh664 to Dh950.5.