Edinburgh Airport confirms third of staff will be made redundant due to Covid-19

The airport has announced that it is now preparing for ‘prolonged recovery’ to survive the pandemic.

Edinburgh Airport has confirmed that a third of their staff will be made redundant due to Covid-19.

The airport will begin the ‘restructuring process’ immediately covering all areas including frontline staff, management and support functions.

This move will include both voluntary and compulsory redundancies.

The airport directly employs 750 people, and they have consulted with staff and unions before going ahead with this process.

Those who will be made redundant will start to receive letters from August 1 and will leave the business on October 31.

Gordon Dewar, Chief Executive of Edinburgh Airport said:

“This is a bitterly sad day for the airport and for those colleagues who are losing their jobs through no fault of their own but due to the impact of this dreadful pandemic.

“We have worked with unions and staff over the past four months to protect as many jobs as possible, but unfortunately we have to confirm this regrettable news as the business prepares for whatever comes next.

Edinburgh airport has used the UK Government’s Job Retention Scheme over the past few months.

Mr Dewar added: “The furlough scheme has undoubtedly helped us to retain jobs and we are grateful for the UK Government’s support, as well as that of the Scottish Government through things like rate relief.

“We bitterly regret this necessity and all of our talented colleagues departing the business leave with our very best wishes. They are an incredibly talented workforce who have served Edinburgh Airport fantastically well and we will do what we can to help them find other employment.

“We are sorry to see them go.”

Miles Briggs, Lothian MSP added: “Edinburgh Airport have had no choice but to make these redundancies, because of the impact of Covid-19 on the aviation industry, and my thoughts are with employees who will be made redundant through no fault of their own.

“These job redundancies reinforce the importance of investing in the South East of Scotland to grow the economy and create more job opportunities.

“Employees who are being made redundant must be fully supported to find new roles and develop new skills for career changes until the aviation industry recovers.”

Unite, the union, has expressed its disappointment in the news, with Unite regional officer Sandy Smart saying: “The entire civil aviation sector has been impacted by the pandemic and we are genuinely worried about the sector in Scotland once the government support through JRS is reduced. We have been calling on Westminster and

Holyrood parliaments to put an aid package together to help Scotland’s airports and we will continue to pursue this.”

“Scotland needs its airports and the aviation industry is crucial in ensuring we remain connected globally. ”

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