GoAir extends leave without pay for its staff till June 30

Low-cost carrier GoAir on Monday extended leave without pay (LWP) for its employees till June 30.

Low-cost carrier GoAir on Monday extended leave without pay (LWP) for its employees till June 30.

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In a letter to its employees on June 1, the human resource (HR) department of the airline stated that they might further extend the LWP if needed.

The letter read, “It is our expectation that GoAir will increase flying as the demand for air travel returns...Under these circumstances, we are constrained to extend your leave without pay until June 30. We may, however, have to extend the period leave without pay for a further term, if required so.”

It further read, ‘We are painfully aware that these sacrifices put an immense burden on you and your family, but we see no other viable option for our long term survival and sustainability.”

Exempting its lowest-paid workers, earlier this year, GoAir had announced pay cuts to most of its employees. On March 17, the airline had initiated a short term and temporary LWP program in which around 35% of its employees (from each department) were asked to go on LWP.

Workers involved in cargo operations (including ground staff and crew members) received their salaries for the number of days they worked in March. However, with lockdown being extended from mid-April to till May 3, the Mumbai-based airline had announced an extension of leave without pay on April 18.

GoAir is also facing issues with its pilots who have not received their salaries since March.