Gatwick Airport, the UK’s second-largest, has announced that it will cut 600 jobs, in a bid to further reduce operating and staff costs due to “the dramatic impact Covid-19 has had on its passenger and air traffic numbers".
The reduction amounts to approximately 24 per cent of the current workforce, the airport said in a statement on Wednesday, adding that it will start “a formal consultation process" with employees, reports Xinhua news agency.
Passenger numbers slumped by over 80 per cent in August compared with the same month last year, which used to be one of the airport’s busiest periods. The airport is now operating at around 20 per cent of its capacity, according to the statement.
“If anyone is in any doubt about the devastating impact Covid-19 has had on the aviation and travel industry, then today’s news we have shared with our staff, regarding the proposed job losses, is a stark reminder," Stewart Wingate, the airport’s CEO, said in the statement. Meanwhile, the Manchester Airport announced that it will close one of its three terminals due to the impact of the pandemic.
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In a statement posted on its website on Tuesday, Manchester Airport said flights currently operating from Terminal Two will move to Terminal One from September 2. “Throughout the pandemic the airport has worked closely with its airlines and retailers to align its operations with passenger demand, to deliver the best possible customer experience," it added.
Amidst the Covid-19 pandemic, the airport operated with just Terminal One before reopening Terminal Three from July and Terminal Two last month, as airlines’ started to restore flights. In the latest move, Terminal Two, which has been handling flights to places including Asia and North America, will now close on September 3 until further notice.
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