Western Daily Press (Saturday)
BIG STAFF CUTS AT AIRPORT
ANOTHER JOBS BLOW:
BRISTOL Airport is planning to make nearly a quarter of its workforce redundant after being hit by a fall in demand in air travel.
The airport, which directly employs around 400 people, is reducing its workforce by around 23 per cent.
In a letter seen by our sister website Bristol Live, it said passenger numbers had dropped from more than 870,000 in May 2019 to only 874 in the same month this year.
The airport said its position was “unsustainable” given its ongoing fixed costs and it would make a “very significant” loss this financial year.
Just last week, chief executive Dave Lees warned Bristol Airport was “not immune” to job losses.
The airport has now entered into a 30-day consultation period with employees.
Mr Lees said: “It is with much regret that we are having to make the announcement which will impact on our people during this difficult period. However we need to ensure that we are making the right decisions to protect the future outlook of the airport.
“Given this unprecedented set of circumstances in which we now find ourselves, it is imperative we take appropriate action to ensure the airport is best placed to recover and thrive in the longer term, and serve our region whilst protecting the majority of jobs and the people who will play a key role in our future.”
The letter to staff said the airport would be “significantly” smaller in 2020 and 2021, with predictions it could take at least three years for passenger numbers to recover.
Bristol Airport said it expected passenger numbers to fall to fewer than three million this year – down from 10 million normally – and next year levels would be closer to those seen in 2015 and 2016 at between 6.5 and seven million.
A spokesperson for the airport added: “The Covid-19 pandemic has had a devastating impact on lives worldwide.
“Bristol Airport’s number one priority remains the health and safety of our passengers and our work colleagues, whilst continuing to play an important role in the region by remaining open for key flights as well as hosting a regional Covid-19 testing site.
“Unfortunately, however, the aviation industry has been devastated by the impact of the coronavirus crisis as countries have closed their borders and airlines have grounded their fleets for a period of months.”
Meanwhile one of the biggest tourism businesses in South Wales is cutting hundreds of jobs.
The five-star Celtic Manor Resort, near Newport, hosted golf ’s Ryder Cup in 2010 as well as the 2014 Nato Conference.
It said it would be making 450 workers redundant in response to the coronavirus pandemic.
Staff at the International Convention Centre Wales, situated in the Celtic Manor grounds and owned by the same company, will also be affected. The company is owned by Wales’ first billionaire, Newportborn Sir Terry Matthews.
On Thursday, company bosses sent letters to staff informing them it was cutting almost half of its 995-strong workforce due to the financial impact of Covid-19.
In a statement, the company said: “It is clear the Covid-19 crisis will continue to have a catastrophic effect on the global economy, our nation and the travel, tourism and events industries for many months to come, and the Celtic Collection must reshape and resize its business to ensure that it is fit for the future.
“With drastically reduced occupancies and revenues, its current financial model is not sustainable.
“Staff whose positions are at risk of redundancy have been sent letters advising them of the process.”