Lufthansa to slash 22,000 jobs, predicts 'slow recovery' from COVID-19 crisis

German airline Lufthansa has announced on June 11 that it would let go of nearly 22,000 full-time employees as they predict a slow recovery from the impacts of coronavirus outbreak. The unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic took a severe toll on the travel industry forcing most airlines to shut their businesses as major countries had closed their borders to curb the further spread of novel coronavirus. Now even though some parts of the world are planning on opening the tourism industry, Lufthansa has reportedly said that the recovery in the demand for air transport “will be slow in the foreseeable future”.

The news of slashing thousands of jobs by Lufthansa came just days after the airline announced a significant expansion in its flight schedule until September. Now, the group will carry out its operations with at least 100 less aircraft carriers which led to “a total of 22,000 fewer full-time positions in the Lufthansa Group”, and half of which are in Germany. Moreover, according to an international news agency, the posts sum up to be nearly 16 per cent of the German airline’s total workforce of 135,000.

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70% long-haul destinations to be back

Lufthansa has still assured that it would come up with certain schemes that would enable a shorter duration for work along with other crisis management. Even though nearly 700 aircrafts owned by Lufthansa were grounded out of its total 763 aircraft at the peak of lockdowns, the company announced on June 8 that at least 70 per cent of its long-haul destinations would be back for customers to book by September. 

Lufthansa said, “90 per cent of all originally planned short- and medium-haul destinations and 70 per cent of long-haul destinations will be served again. Customers planning their autumn and winter holidays now have access to a comprehensive global network of connections via all hubs of the Group.”

“The core brand Lufthansa alone will be flying more than 100 times a week to destinations in North America via its hubs in Frankfurt and Munich in autumn. Around 90 flights a week are planned to Asia, over 20 to the Middle East and over 25 to Africa,” it added. 

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(With agency inputs)

Image Source: AP