Air Peace has sacked 75 pilots in its fleet and slashed staff salaries by 40%.
The airline’s spokesperson, Stanley Olise made this known on Monday, 3rd August. Giving reasons for the move, Olise said the company was constrained by the economic realities brought on by the #COVID19 pandemic.
He added that the sacking of the pilots was “painful but the rightful decision” to ensure the continued survival of the airline.
Olise stated that the measure was inevitable to ensure the continuity some job functions with the possibility of creating new ones on the future.
Press release by Air Peace:
“The management of Air Peace wishes to state that it has taken a very painful but rightful decision, in the circumstances the airline has found itself as a result of of the devastating effects of the covid19 pandemic on its operations and financial health, to terminate the employment of some of its pilots.
“This decision was taken for the greater good of the company and its almost 3,000-man workforce, the affected pilots inclusive.
“The airline cannot afford to toe the path of being unable to continue to fulfil its financial obligations to its staff, external vendors, aviation agencies, maintenance organisations, insurance companies, banks and other creditors hence the decision to restructure its entire operations with a view to surviving the times.
“The pandemic has hit every airline worldwide so badly that it has become very impossible for airlines to remain afloat without carrying out internal restructuring of their costs.
“Anything short of what we have done, may lead to the collapse of an airline as could be be seen in some places worldwide during this period.
“Therefore, we decided to review the salaries being paid to all staff. The new salaries reflect a 0% – 40% cut of the former salaries depending on the salary grades of every staff.
“Even after the cuts, it was obvious that for us to be able to sustain our operations and survive the times, some jobs must inevitably have to go.
“Air Peace has never for one day owed salaries to its workers in its almost 6 years of existence, pilots inclusive. Rather, the management of Air Peace has always been known to be increasing salaries of its employees periodically without being prompted by staff. In fact, in one fell swoop, Air Peace increased the salaries of pilots by over 100% in one day !
“Our salaries have always been paid even before month end in the last 5 years ! So we love our staff. This decision is inevitable under the circumstances we find ourselves.
“In order to protect the continuity of a majority of existing jobs and the possibility of creating new ones in future, the survival of he the airline is of paramount importance.
“When everything comes back to normal, those pilots affected today will have a place to come back to in future if they so wish.
“We are in trying times. Even the biggest airlines in Europe, America, Middle East, Asia, Australia and indeed Africa are all either slashing jobs and cutting salaries in order to remain afloat or are shutting down. Air Peace is not immune from these challenges.”
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