Air Canada lays off over 5,000 employees temporarily due to COVID-19 pandemic

#AirCanada; #LayOffs; COVID-19Pandemic; #WesleyLesosky

Montreal, Mar 20 (Canadian-Media): It was said by Wesley Lesosky, head of the Air Canada component of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), than more than 5,100 employees of Air-Canada, were temporarily being laid off effective immediately, including 3,600 mainline employees and all of Air Canada Rouge’s 1,549 flight attendants, due to COVID-19 pandemic, media reports said.

Air Canada. Image credit: Website

Air Canada said that as the layoffs are temporary, employees will be employed for active duty status when the airline is able to ramp up its network schedule.

Montreal-based company also said Wednesday about its intention of suspending the majority of its international and U.S. flights by March 31.

The airline’s stock which had fallen 76 percent in two months, had again dropped steeply in the past two weeks due to the closing of borders and plunging of flight demand.