EMCC European Monitoring Centre on Change

Four out of five large-scale cases of job loss reported in the ERM since April 1 have cited COVID-19 as amongst the reasons for restructuring. The air transport sector has been particularly affected with the three large recent national cases involving SAS (5000 jobs), Brussels Airlines (1000 jobs) and Austrian Airlines (1100 jobs). In addition, supplier firms such as Rolls-Royce (engines) and Boeing (airplanes) have signalled job cuts of 10-15% of global headcount. Overall, the post-COVID restructuring case count has not risen as much as anticipated after a brief surge in March. Alternative forms of labour market adjustment – short-time working, temporary lay offs, etc. – appear to have reduced the incidence of large-scale collective redundancies, at least temporarily. But in commercial aviation, the effects have already been swift and brutal.

• Factsheet: Scandinavian Airlines System, SAS
• Factsheet: Brussels Arlines
• Factsheet: Austrian Arlines