- Title: Qantas to stand down 2,500 staff as COVID-19 curbs air travel
- Date: 3rd August 2021
- Summary: SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA (FILE) (REUTERS) QANTAS PLANE LANDING ON TARMAC WITH SYDNEY SKYLINE IN BACKGROUND QANTAS PLANE CONNECTED TO JET BRIDGE QANTAS LOGO ON PLANE QANTAS PLANE ON TARMAC
- Embargoed: 17th August 2021 04:49
- Keywords: Alan Joyce Australia COVID-19 Qantas coronavirus domestic flying international plane travel
- Location: SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA
- City: SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA
- Country: Australia
- Topics: Asia / Pacific,Australia,Company News Markets,Economic Events
- Reuters ID: LVA003EOQ4WP9
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Qantas Airways said on Tuesday (August 3) that it is temporarily idling about 2,500 employees without pay for at least two months in a bid to cope with fresh COVID-19 restrictions in Australia slashing domestic travel demand.
The decision will directly impact domestic pilots, cabin crew and airport workers, mostly in New South Wales, the airline said, adding that no job losses were expected from the move.
Qantas said it had gone from operating almost 100% of its pre-COVID domestic flying capacity in May to less than 40% in July due to lockdowns meant to curb the rapid spread of the Delta variant of the coronavirus.
The country's most populous city, Sydney, has been hit particularly hard by infections and will remain in lockdown for at least another three-and-a-half weeks amid a drive to get the population vaccinated against COVID-19 as quickly as possible.
(Production: Cordelia Hsu) - Copyright Holder: FILE REUTERS (CAN SELL)
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