Struggling Hong Kong Airlines sacks 170 staff, day after it ditches food, drink, blankets and pillows from flights
- Carrier was on verge of collapse earlier this year and is to make 400 staff redundant
- Company says cut in services a ‘precautionary measure’ to protect crew and customers amid outbreak
Hong Kong Airlines started sacking staff on Wednesday, a day after slashing in-flight services to a bare minimum.
Sources told the Post that 170 employees, mostly flight attendants, had been informed that Wednesday would be their last day of work.
On Tuesday night, the airline said that, starting the next day, it would cut a host of services on all flights, including providing food, drink, pillows and blankets, in what it said was a “precautionary measure” to protect customers and crew during the coronavirus outbreak.
However, the Post has been told the move is a desperate attempt to cut costs by an airline which was on the brink of collapse at the beginning of the year, and two weeks ago announced it was making 400 staff redundant.
The measures came after earlier reductions to services, which only affected flights to mainland China.
In a notice one employee received, the airline said: “We regret to inform you that based on the company’s recent review of its operational requirements, you will be made redundant.”