A DROP in Chinese arrivals and delays in launching new routes has forced Mega Maldives Airlines to shed jobs.
It has reduced its fleet from five aircraft to three while immediately making 65 positions in the company redundant.
“Furthermore, we have also made the decision to put on hold replacing 50 positions that are vacant and were due to be filled this year. As a result, the company’s total staff will now be reduced from almost 400 at the start of 2016 to 278. This is a reduction of 50 local staff and 64 foreign staff,” stated the airline.
Arrivals from China, the Maldives’ biggest source market, have dropped nearly 11 per cent in the six months to June this year.
But Mega, which accounts for 30 per cent of total Chinese traffic to the Maldives, says it will still continue its Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong services.
The airline said the slowdown in China was one that the carrier foresaw and planned for in late 2015. “Therefore, an extensive diversification of our route network was planned for this year, which included South Africa, India, Thailand and Europe.
“Unfortunately, for a number of reasons, many of which were outside of our control, we have had to either reconsider or delay these routes.”
