One of the leading US airlines, United has warned staff that it will axe 40% of staff at the end of the month unless it gets federal help to survive during the current coronavirus COVID19 crisis.
The stark and dramatic warning came from Oscar Munoz, Chief Executive Officer and J. Scott Kirby, President of the mega-carrier in a message sent to all the carriers 100,000 staff. "If Congress doesn't act on sufficient government support by the end of March," the message to staff said. "our company will begin to take the necessary steps to reduce our payroll in line with the 60% schedule reduction we announced for April. May's schedule is likely to be cut even further."
In recent weeks United has already made a series of cost-cutting measures, including slashing capital spending, recruitment freeze, cutting payments to contractors and vendors, axing discretionary spending and reducing Oscar and Scott's salary to zero.
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