Virgin Australia Group has extended its domestic capacity reduction to 90%, including suspension of Tigerair Australia domestic services, effective immediately.
Approximately 80% of Virgin Australia Group’s workforce will be temporarily stood down until at least the end of May as the group’s domestic capacity reduces from 50% to 90%, including the suspension of Tigerair Australia domestic services.
The group estimated 8,000 of its 10,000 workforce would be stood down, with team members able to access accrued leave entitlements and Virgin working with more than 25 partners to identify short- and long-term redeployment options.
The airline said it needed to take further action due to state border closures escalating across Australia, with most domestic flying to be suspended from midnight 27 March until 14 June.
Virgin Australia CEO and MD Paul Scurrah said “there has never been a travel environment as restricted as the one we see today and the extraordinary steps we’ve taken have been in response to the Federal and State Governments’ latest travel advice”.
From the end of the week, the carrier will begin repositioning and grounding more than 125 aircraft in its fleet.
Virgin Australia will suspend services to 19 Australian destinations currently operated by the carrier and will continue to maintain connectivity to 17 destinations.
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