Massive Job Losses As Kenya Airways Lays Off Pilots And Cabin Crews.

Kenya Airways is laying off over 180 pilots with more than 400 cabin crew facing job losses raising questions over the future of the carrier.

An extract of the copy of the letter given to the Pilots reads in part “I regret to advise you of management's decision to terminate your appointment by giving you one month notice with effect from June 24, 2020".

According to the letter issued to affected Staff, the exit package includes salary and all applicable allowances up to and including June 24, 2020, a one month's salary in lieu of notice and accrued leave days as at June 24, a move that will see the loss-making company spend millions in the layoff.

This latest move by the east African flag carrier has created so much anxiety and uncertainty among the Staff consequentially drawing the irke of Labour and Pilot unions in the country.

In a response, the CEO in a statement disclosed that “In view of the unprecedented impact of Covid-19 to the airline, it has become difficult to meet our obligations which severely affecting the industrial relations in the company,” 

Kenya airways has grounded almost all its operations save for cargo and government-approved repatriation flights which includes nine Boeing 787 Dreamliners, 10 Boeing 737 aircraft, and 17 Embraers.

The move to lay-off pilots and crew now leaves the airline on the brink of costly litigations even as it remains unclear how it will afford to send the pilots home with its balance sheet in the red.

Though management has blamed Covid-19 effects in its latest decisions, the airline has remained in losses for many years prior and was barely managing to stay afloat.