Singapore Airlines (SIA) is releasing 76 pilots on fixed-term contracts earlier than planned in response to excess capacity and slower than expected growth.
Earlier expecting to release the pilots on expiry of their contracts, SIA will now prematurely terminate contracts by June 30. The airline has said it will assist affected pilots with finding opportunities elsewhere in the SIA group.
SIA has suspended its cadet pilot program and had earlier offered voluntary leave without pay.
Fixed-term contract pilots account for about four per cent of SIA’s total pilot workforce.
Earlier this month the airline’s CEO, Choon Phong, told the Singapore Business Times: “It cannot be business as usual and I cannot stress that point enough. We must venture outside our comfort zone and find new ways to conduct our sales and marketing, reduce expenditure and improve productivity and operational efficiency.”
In December SIA announced a 2.8 per cent increase in capacity and passenger growth of six per cent.
