By Tanko Mohammed
Air Peace has sacked 69 pilots and cut staff salaries in a restructuring prompted by negative impact of covid-19.
The airline also announced up to 40 per cent cut in salaries, depending on the grades of every staff.
According to the airline, it is restructuring its operations, hence the reduction of its workforce, Mr Stanley Olisa, the spokesman of the Airline confirmed on August 3, 2020.
“A very painful but rightful decision, in the circumstances the airline has found itself as a result of the devastating effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on its operations and financial health, to terminate the employment of some of its pilots.
“This decision was taken for the greater good of the company and its almost 3,000 workforce, the affected pilots inclusive.
“The airline cannot afford to toe the path of being unable to continue to fulfil its financial obligations to its staff, external vendors, aviation agencies, maintenance organisations, insurance companies, banks and other creditors hence the decision to restructure its entire operations with a view to surviving the times,” Olisa said in a statement.
He explained that the Airline was among the ones globally that were hit by pandemic that are struggling to stay afloat and to avoid collapse.
“Even after the cuts in salaries, it was obvious that for us to be able to sustain our operations and survive the times, some jobs must inevitably have to go.
Air Peace said it loved its staff but the decision it took was inevitable “under the circumstances we find ourselves”.
“In order to protect the continuity of majority of the existing jobs and the possibility of creating new ones in future, the survival of the airline is of paramount importance. When everything comes back to normal, those pilots affected today will have a place to come back to in future if they so wish.’’
