Singapore Airlines has reportedly asked nearly half of its workers to take unpaid leave after cutting its capacity in the wake of the SARS crisis.
The carrier, generally recognised as the most profitable in Asia, is asking some 6,600 cabin crew workers to take a week off every two months until the end of March next year.
According to reports the move could save the airline as much as £35 million over the next year. Singapore Airlines is also likely to propose a similar deal with its pilots after having cut capacity by 30 per cent. The airline is warning that it may face more serious difficulties in the future if workers do not accept the proposal.
Meanwhile Dubai’s Emirates airline has profited from the emergence of Dubai as an international hub. The carrier released its annual figures last week and reported an increase in profits of some 94 per cent.
