68 jobs are set to be axed at Loganair with staff in Dundee to be affected

68 jobs are set to be axed at Loganair - affecting staff in Dundee.

Bosses say the City of Discovery to Belfast flight which is set to go live later this month will not be impacted.

It's understood none of the 16 flights the company picked up from the collapsed Flybe will be affected by the job losses.

A skills retention programme is being rolled out to reduce the scale of redundancies.

Loganair chief executive Jonathan Hinkles said: “Like everyone in the aviation industry, we’ve been incredibly hard-hit by the Covid-19 pandemic. It has been without doubt the biggest ever challenge for our industry and the biggest challenge in Loganair’s 58-year history.

“We have worked hard to protect jobs, but recovery across the sector has been incredibly slow. I sincerely regret that we have been left with no option but to enter into a consultation process for 68 roles which are now at risk of redundancy, from a total workforce of 850.

"The closure of our base at Chester is the largest single step, whilst other staff members affected are based in Glasgow, Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Dundee and Inverness.

“Loganair is a small, tight-knit business and we will continue to do all that we can to support everyone affected by the prospect of redundancy.

"This will include options for relocation where openings exist. It will come as no consolation to those affected that the scale of proposed redundancies at Loganair is far lower than in other UK airlines.

“In order to reduce the scale of redundancies, Loganair is introducing a company-funded Skills Retention Programme, which will provide continuity of employment and a monthly subsistence payment over the coming winter for 40 further employees for whom there is presently no work.

"The programme is designed to provide a bridge between today’s challenging market conditions and an expected increase in flying in the airline’s Summer 2021 schedule, for which tickets are now on sale.

"It will run from 1 November – after the closure of the Government’s Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme – until 31 March. Other employees will also be taking a 20% pay cut over the winter season."

BALPA General Secretary Brian Strutton said: “The news of potential job losses at Loganair is another bitter blow to the aviation industry and yet more evidence that the government needs to do more to help aviation though this crisis.

“It is devastating for those involved and we are doing all we can to support our members. We are consulting with Loganair and hope to save as many jobs as possible.”

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