Liverpool John Lennon Airport looks to urgently reduce costs as its two biggest airlines, Ryanair and easyJet, slashed their operations due to the spread of the coronavirus. Tony McDonough reports
Staff at Liverpool John Lennon Airport (LJLA) are facing redundancies, lay-offs and pay cuts as the aviation sector continues to be decimated the coronavirus.
Although the airport continues to operate and see flights take off and land, airlines are slashing their operations. Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab has warned UK citizens to avoid all global travel for the next 30 days.
Earlier this week, LBN reported how Ryanair and easyJet, who between them operate more than 60 routes out of LJLA, were drastically cutting back on flights with both considering grounding their fleet altogether.
Consequently, the airport, which handles around 5m passengers a year and employs hundreds of people, is having to cut back its operations and says that “all cost reduction opportunities are being pursued”. These include redundancies, lay-offs, pay cuts and reduced working hours.
LJLA said it was looking to ensure the sustainability of the business during these extreme circumstances”, adding: “This will unfortunately necessitate salary reductions for airport company employees including the airport’s executive team, reduced working weeks, temporary lay-offs and a number of redundancies. All capital expenditure has been deferred too.
“Liverpool John Lennon Airport plays a significant role in the local and regional economy and whilst this situation is not unique to our business, it is important that we put measures in place that will ensure the sustainability of the business in the short term in order to protect our long term future and be best placed to recover from this crisis in due course with the return of airline operations.”
Chief executive John Irving added: “The threat to the whole UK aviation industry should not be underestimated and we await details of the Government’s potential support package for airlines and airports announced by the Chancellor, which will be needed to help our industry survive this unprecedented collapse in business.”