The travel industry has been hit hard due to the Covid-19 pandemic forcing many airline companies including AirAsia and Malaysia Airlines (MAS), to downsize its workforce.
Sadly, Malindo Airways (Malindo Air) has decided to undergo further retrenchments, shrinking their 3,200 manpower to a mere 1,000.
The staffs’ termination came into effect yesterday (1st November 2020) as Malindo Air attempts to stay afloat during the pandemic by reducing their costs and expenditure. The airline has offered a three-month salary as one of the severance packages to the 2,000 plus employees affected.
What followed was heartbreaking as the retrenched crew members took to their social media accounts to sign off, eventually causing Malindo to be trending on Twitter. Most of them even shared the memories through pictures of them working at the airline, which made it more heart-rending.
Check out some of the postings below:
https://twitter.com/allyciatann_/status/1322825690266308608
https://twitter.com/kaatnizz/status/1322731576141045762
I’ve said my goodbye to this beasty. There was never a day i wasn’t happy to be around you. I have accepted the fate and i know this is not anyone’s fault. Aviation industry is just very sick:(
It was a pleasure team,it was an honor Malindo.Irriana Azreen signing out. pic.twitter.com/A5hy5Ao2Fn
— Samara (@irriananana) October 30, 2020
TQ #Malindo Air for all the beautiful moments & memories. It's hard to accept the fact that most of us have been retrenched. May Allah ease everything for all airlines crew. "ONCE A CREW, ALWAYS A CREW" Door disarmed & cross check.
I'm cc Bella, M08993 signing off.
Bye ODteam👋 pic.twitter.com/Tl6sLlu28r— BellaLuna (@mizznwhen) October 31, 2020
https://twitter.com/ZafirahRazwina/status/1322475409213042688
The end of the chapter. Thank you Malindo for all the memories. Dari zaman trainee then masuk kerja. Never ever imagined this day would come, but Allah’s plan is always beautiful than our desire. Stay strong, dear self.
Khairun Nasuha signing off pic.twitter.com/0DKBR1upf8
— Khairun Nasuha (@nasuhajamil) October 31, 2020
Tears aside, The National Union of Flight Attendants Malaysia (NUFAM) has criticised Malindo Air for their retrenchment exercise. They stated that the funds given by the government to the airline should be sufficient to stave off more job cuts.
Previously, Malaysia Airlines and Firefly employees were offered early retirement schemes. Read about it here.
Sources: FMT, TheRakyatPost.
