Etihad warns of more job cuts

Etihad Airways (EY, Abu Dhabi Int’l) has again warned staffers of yet more job losses having already carried out several rounds of redundancies since April last year as the UAE carrier downsizes because of COVID-19. According to an internal memo sent to staff on Sunday, January 16, 2021, the airline said it would have no choice but to further reduce its workforce due to the slow airline industry recovery. “The hard reality is that, despite all hopes, our industry is simply not recovering quick enough and we will continue to be a smaller airline for some time. I know that we’ve all been paying close attention to our network, our load factors, the type of aircraft we’re flying, and future forecasts. Based on all these factors, it has become clear that we have no choice but to further reduce our workforce,” the memo read, reported cabin crew recruiter, paddleyourownkanoo.com. The airline last year already reduced its cabin crews by 20% and placed the remaining surplus crew on unpaid leave. The latest memo also echoed a similar one sent to Etihad pilots in November last year. The airline was not immediately available for comment. In November, Chief Executive Officer Tony Douglas announced management cuts and restructuring as part of plans that would see the Abu Dhabi state carrier downsize to become a mid-sized airline for the foreseeable future. The airline, for the time being, appeared to have abandoned long-held plans to rival fellow Gulf carriers Emirates (EK, Dubai Int’l) and Qatar Airways (QR, Doha Hamad Int’l) and turning Abu Dhabi Int’l into a global hub competing with Dubai Int’l. Reports said another note to cabin crew revealed that some crew had recently been quarantined after several flights had to be cancelled because flight attendants had tested positive for COVID-19 while on layovers.