The airline Blue1 has announced plans to lay off pilots starting next spring due to falling numbers of passengers on its routes. The company says that it will put its 100 pilots on ten days of unpaid leave and trim back on routes and aircraft.
Blue1 Communications Director Tom Christides told YLE that the company has spare capacity after suspending its southern European services for the winter months due to low demand.
“This winter the company is focussing on flights to Lapland, but with fewer staff and fewer planes,” says Christides. “Overall, capacity has been slightly reduced and the volume of passengers has dropped about ten percent since last year.”
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Layoffs by Blue1 are being scheduled for January through May, when the company expects demand to be at its lowest.
More cut-backs may be on the way. The number of passengers on domestic flights has fallen all year. Blue1 ticket sales on its service to Kuopio have collapsed and the company is seeking a partner to share the route with.
One of the company’s problems is the size of the aircraft it operates. Blue1 is looking at replacing them with smaller jets.
The SAS-owned Blue1 is not the only airline here that is wrestling with cost-saving issues.
The holiday flight airline Air Finland recently announced layoffs and Finnair Cargo announced it is cutting jobs.
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