COVID-19 Lockdown: Emirates to Cut 30,000 Jobs, Says Report

The airline might also hasten the process of retiring its fleet of A380s.

File image of an Emirates flight. Image used for representational purposes. 

(Photo: iStock)

With the coronavirus lockdowns across the world hitting the airline industry severely, the Emirates Group is now considering cutting its workforce of 105,000 by about 30 percent, translating to around 30,000 jobs, Bloomberg reported on Sunday, 17 May.

According to the report, such a cut would be the "most severe yet in absolute terms" in the global airline industry during the period of lockdowns.

However, the airline has not made any announcement so far on the purported layoffs. "Conserving cash, safeguarding our business, and preserving as much of our skilled workforce as possible remain our top priorities," the airline was quoted as saying in a statement.

Emirates Group, whose operations are expected to kick off again on 21 May, might also hasten the process of retiring its fleet of Airbus A380s, the report added.

With air travel suspended in may countries due to the spread of coronavirus, the airline industry has been hit particularly hard. In India, too, several airlines have announced pay cuts to cope with the crisis, as air travel continues to remain prohibited in the fourth phase of the lockdown.