Singapore Airlines has outlined its latest cost cutting measures by allowing cabin crew to take extended unpaid leave.
The airline will offer voluntary no-pay leave (VNPL) for three months beginning next month to address a ‘temporary crew surplus situation.’
SIA emphasised it is a voluntary option and will not be enforced on unwilling staff members.
The airline currently employs about 8,200 cabin crew.
The VNPL option is open to chief steward/stewardesss and flight steward/stewardess ranks.
"The division will need to exercise flexibility and nimbleness to better manage crew resources. VNPL and the leave buy-back scheme are measures that the division will take from time to time to achieve this objective," SIA said in a notice to crew members.
The airline’s CEO, Goh Choon Phong recently said ‘bold radical measures’ were needed to improve efficiencies.
SIA posted a net loss of S$138 million in the fourth quarter of the last financial year which was the first deficit for five years.
