Emirates airlines to suspend passenger operations
- 4 years ago
Emirates, the world’s largest long-haul airline, will suspend nearly all of its passenger operations this week, in the latest concession to a coronavirus pandemic that has devastated global travel.
Flights to most destinations will stop operating from March 25, Emirates said Sunday in an email. Cargo service and routes to 12 countries including the U.S., U.K., Switzerland and Singapore, will remain in operation, the company said.
“We cannot viably operate passenger services until countries re-open their borders, and travel confidence returns,” Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum said in a message to employees seen by Bloomberg. “Some of our competitors, or even our supply chain partners, may not survive this crisis.”
The state-owned airline has turned Dubai into a hub for global travel that’s under assault by the coronavirus pandemic. Countries are closing off acess to protect their populations, dealing a body blow to the industry. Carirers that were in relatively good health at the start of the year have had to ground fleets, lay off staff and turn to government aid for survival.
The group is implementing basic salary reduction for majority of employees for three months, will not cut jobs. However, the airline has outlined a number of cost reduction measures.
“Emirates Group has a strong balance sheet, and substantial cash liquidity, and we can, and will, with appropriate and timely action, survive through a prolonged period of reduced flight schedules, so that we are adequately prepared for the return to normality,” said Sheikh Ahmed.
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