Hundreds of Thousands Airline Jobs at Risk

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has warned that hundreds of thousands of jobs within the aviation industry are at risk without more state aid.

The industry body downgraded their 2020 traffic forecasts after what they state was “a dismal end to the summer travel season”.

Representing 290 airlines around the world, The IATA estimates that 2020 traffic will be 66% below the previous year and will not return to pre-pandemic levels until at least 2024.

The second surge in Covid-19 cases seen in the UK and Europe has meant governments have brought in more restrictions and quarantine measures, which has in turn impacted the potential for airlines to rebound from the initial phase of the pandemic.

The dire financial situation facing the travel industry as a result of the first lockdowns was evident with thousands of job losses being announced across major airlines, airports and tour operators. Lufthansa in Germany for example warned it would cut 22,000 roles.

Alexandre de Juniac, the chief executive of the IATA said, “Absent additional government relief measures and a reopening or borders, hundreds of thousands of airline jobs will disappear,”.

Continuing, de Juniac called for regular Covid-19 tests to be carried out on passengers before flights depart believing this would restore confidence in air travel.

Further evidence of the renewed threat facing jobs within the aviation industry can be seen at Virgin Atlantic, where earlier this month it was announced 1,150 jobs would be cut as part of a £1.2bn rescue plan. 

In the USA, American Airlines said it would cut 19,000 jobs in October after the government wage subsidy ends and United Airlines have said as many as 36,000 jobs are at risk.