Air India withdraws job offers for 180 trainees amid slowdown due to Coronavirus pandemic

Amid Coronavirus outbreak, Air India has withdrawn job offers for around 180 trainee cabin crew members as sector suffers due to ecomic slowdown, said airline officials on Saturday. In a letter sent to one such trainee cabin crew member on July 6, airline said, "In view of current aviation scenario, it would t be possible for Air India to impart any furr training to you for engaging your services."

letter also said, "In view of above reasons, which are beyond control of company, it has been decided to discontinue your training arrangement and dispense with offer of engment with immediate effect." It furr said bank guarantees furnished by individual trainees at time of joining were being returned. " airline has taken a decision to withdraw job offers for about 180 trainees who were to join as cabin crew after completing ir training as aviation sector has been hit hard due to  coronavirus pandemic," said an airline official.

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When asked about issue, news ncy PTI quoted an Air India spokesperson saying that se are internal issues on which airline would t like to comment.

India resumed domestic passenger flights from May 25 after a gap of two months due to coronavirus-induced lockdown. However, airlines have been allowed to operate only a maximum of 45 percent of ir pre-COVID domestic flights. occupancy rate in Indian domestic flights has been around 50-60 percent since May 25. Scheduled international passenger flights continue to remain suspended in India since March 23.

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Appeal for payment of dues

Indian Commercial Pilot's Association has appealed to  Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) to disburse ir long-pending dues immediately. development came after a meeting held on July 8 that was attended by Indian Pilot's Guild, officials of MoCA and Chairman & Managing Director (CMD). pilots' body had made it clear that y would support airline during testing times of pandemic provided that every employee of flagship carrier shares burden and agrees for a deduction in individual income.

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India's COVID-19 tally zoomed past eight-lakh mark on Saturday.  health ministry data said that  total coronavirus caseload in country surged to 820,916 on Saturday while death toll climbed to 22,123. According to Union health ministry data on Saturday, number of recoveries stands at 515,385 while re are 283,407 active cases. 

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(with PTI inputs)