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SINGAPORE – Singapore Airlines (SIA) has laid off roughly half of its cadet pilots and cabin crew trainees as it continues to reduce its workforce.
The rest will have to leave after completing their training.
The Straits Times understands that there are more than 400 in various stages of training.
Those who had to abort their training are mainly foreigners.
An airline spokesman said of the decision to allow the rest to continue: “SIA is committed to supporting them through its training program.”
It takes more than two years and costs about $ 250,000 to train a pilot.
The cabin crew program lasts less than three months.
However, the airline will not be able to keep them after that due to the “current surplus in the number of personnel,” he said.
Retained cadet pilots who need to complete the overseas segment of their training will receive a license without pay until SIA can safely resume this segment of the training program, he added.
“The cadet pilots will be released after they have completed their basic training program, which includes the overseas segment, due to the current surplus in the number of personnel.”
SIA will be open to hiring them in case there is a demand for cabin crew or junior pilots when the demand for air travel returns to pre-Covid levels, the airline added.
A severe recession in the aviation industry has forced some airlines to close, while others have had to cut costs dramatically.
In its latest and most drastic move to deal with operations hit by the Covid-19 pandemic, the SIA Group said last week that it would cut around 4,300 positions.
This includes laying off 2,400 employees. The laid off workers began receiving their pink receipts on Monday (September 14).
They will continue to receive their wages until December 15 of this year and will also keep their medical and other benefits until then.
In addition, each affected employee will be paid in lieu of the notice period in their employment contract. It can be up to three months of salary.
Those who have been in service for two years or more will receive one month of pay for each year of service, with a limit of 25 months.
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