Singapore Airlines Group has announced it will cut around 4,300 positions across its airlines.

With a recruitment freeze, natural attrition and the take up of voluntary departure schemes, the potential number of staff impacted will be reduced to about 2,400 in Singapore and in overseas stations, the carrier said.

This decision was taken in light of expected slow recovery of the global airline industry due to the debilitating impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Singapore Airlines chief executive, Goh Choon Phong, said: “When the battle against Covid-19 began early this year, none of us could have predicted its devastating impact on the global aviation industry.

“From the outset, our priorities were to ensure our survival and save as many jobs as possible.

“Given that the road to recovery will be long and fraught with uncertainty, we have to unfortunately implement involuntary staff reduction measures.”

As previously indicated, the group expects to operate under half of its capacity at the end of financial year 2020/21 versus pre-Covid levels.

Industry groups have also forecast that passenger traffic will not return to previous levels until around 2024.

Relative to most major airlines in the world, Singapore Airlines is in an “even more vulnerable position,” the carrier said, as it does not have a domestic market that will be the first to see a recovery.

Positions will go across all carriers in the group, which includes Singapore Airlines, SilkAir and Scoot. 

Goh Choon Phong added: “Having to let go of our valuable and dedicated people is the hardest and most agonising decision that I have had to make in my 30 years with Singapore Airlines Group.

“This is not a reflection of the strengths and capabilities of those who will be affected but the result of an unprecedented global crisis that has engulfed the airline industry.”