Coronavirus: 22,000 jobs threatened at Lufthansa

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The German group has just announced a 16% reduction in its workforce but says it wants to avoid, as far as possible, dry layoffs. The crisis linked to the coronavirus epidemic cost the airline an unprecedented net loss of 2.1 billion euros in the first quarter of 2020.

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From our correspondent in Berlin , Pascal Thibaut

Lufthansa loses one million euros per hour. Of the German airline's 762 aircraft, 600 are currently grounded. And the resumption of air traffic will be longer than expected.

Wednesday, June 10, a crisis meeting was held with the unions. Almost 22,000 positions are now on the hot seat; this could affect 26,000 people.

At the beginning of June, the CEO of Lufthansa had mentioned 10,000 extra jobs. The German group, which also owns the companies Swiss, Austrian, Brussel Airlines and Eurowings, today employs 135,000 people worldwide.

Avoid dry layoffs

The company wants to avoid dry layoffs as much as possible through partial unemployment measures and negotiated agreements with unions. The organization which represents the pilots has accepted significant salary cuts for its members which may go up to 45%. Lufthansa also plans to divest a hundred planes to reduce its fleet.

The company was doing well before the pandemic and had made record profits in the past three years. At the edge of the abyss, it recently obtained public aid in the amount of 9 billion euros and the State must enter the capital of the company.

► Read also : The air sector in free fall with coronavirus

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• Aeronautics
• Germany
• Employment and Work

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