Employers keen to hire ex-airline staff

More than 30 New Zealand businesses have contacted Air New Zealand with potential job opportunities for staff left jobless as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

In response to the impact Covid-19 has had on air travel, the national carrier is cutting costs across the business. This includes cutting its workforce by 30 per cent, or 4000 employees, which is expected to save between $350 million and $400m a year.

Air New Zealand talent acquisition senior manager Kate James said that since the arrival of Covid-19, the airline had been on the lookout for external opportunities for its staff.

The company had been contacted with employment opportunities for redundant staff to work at businesses across a range of industries from consumer goods to agriculture and healthcare, she said.

‘‘These businesses know when they hire an Air New Zealander they hire a capable person with highly tuned skills, exemplary customer focus and a special commitment to the future of New Zealand,’’ she said.

‘‘Many of those that have reached out to us are our valued customers who have had wonderful experiences and seen the quality and commitment of our staff when they book and travel with us.’’

In early April the airline told staff it was planning to make up to 1460 cabin crew employees redundant.

With its network capacity now a fraction of what it once was and much of its fleet grounded, the airline also made 300 pilots redundant. Employment opportunities

The following organisations had approached Air New Zealand with potential roles: Countdown; the Ministry of Health; Foodstuffs; Rocket Lab; Bupa NZ; the New Zealand Police; Suncorp NZ; Fisher & Paykel Healthcare; the Auckland District Health Board; My Food Bag; OCS; Summerset; Ryman Healthcare; NZ Kiwifruit Growers Incorporated; AMP; Metlifecare; First Security; Cardinal Logistics; Westpac; Fonterra; Downer; The Warehouse Group; Agility CIS; Tribe; Emergent; Korn Ferry; UBT NZ.