Leading Nigerian airline, Air Peace has attributed the sack of some its pilots and other staff on the negative impact of Covid-19 pandemic on flight operations.
The airline in a statement on Monday explained that while the decision to lay-off workers was painful, it was needed to safeguard its existence.
According to the company, “this decision was taken for the greater good of the company and its almost three thousand workforce, the affected pilots inclusive.
“The airline cannot afford to toe the path of being unable to continue to fulfill its financial obligations to its staff, external vendors, aviation agencies, maintenance organisations, insurance companies, banks and other creditors.
“Hence, the decision to restructure its entire operations with a view to surviving the times. The pandemic has hit every airline worldwide, so badly that it has become very impossible for airlines to remain afloat without carrying out internal restructuring of their costs.
“Anything short of what we have done may lead to the collapse of an airline as could be seen in some places worldwide during this period.
“Therefore, we decided to review the salaries being paid to all staff. The new salaries reflect a 0-40 per cent cut of the former salary depending on the salary grades of every staff.
“Even after the cuts, it was obvious that for us to be able to sustain our operations and survive the times, some jobs must inevitably have to go.”
The airline added that it had never, for one day, owed salaries to its workers, pilots inclusive, in its almost six years of existence.
