The German leisure airline, Condor, has stated in a press release on the 22nd of July that it will not be cutting its workforce as a result of the pandemic. Various departments of the airline have unanimously reached an agreement, which will allow all employees to remain onboard. The decision is surprising at a time when the travel and tourism industry is in a massive crisis. However, after the relaxation of border restrictions in Europe, the airline recently resume flights in time for the summer holidays.
It is our responsibility
The CEO of Condor, Ralf Teckentrup added:
“We take our responsibility to our employees very seriously. Not only our customers have planning security thanks to our flight plan stability, but now also our staff: Thanks to sustainable and responsible agreements with all social partners, everyone stays onboard,”
In total, Condor is home to more than 4,200 employees. The current set of agreements will continue until at least March 2021. The airline has fixed short-time work allowances and has placed a ceiling on maximum work hours. This will help the airline in cutting down salary costs while ensuring job security. At the same time, the airline will put a major emphasis on operational efficiency and flight scheduling.
Summer schedule and ticket flexibility
Although the world is still suffering from the coronavirus pandemic, Condor was quick to realize that the best way of survival is business. As soon as the situation in Europe improved, the airline launched charter services to beautiful holiday destinations around the Mediterranean. The airline is currently flying out of eight airports in Germany.
In times like these, Condor is taking a conservative approach by flying to destinations that have an appreciable existing demand. It is only flying to select few destinations like the Balearic Islands and the Canary Islands in Spain and Greece.
Moreover, the airline has received positive feedback from the customers for the protective measures taken onboard. Condor has worked hard with the airports to make sure the flying experience is as safe as possible.
Passengers, whose travel was affected by the coronavirus, can now avail Condor flight credit, which can be used for future flights. Customers wishing to receive a refund of the ticket price will get their money back. The refund of all canceled flights from March to June will be completed by the end of July.
Financial commitments
Ralf Teckentrup spoke on the airline’s financial responsibilities by saying:
“We have a responsibility not only towards our employees, our customers, and our partners but also to the German Federal Government and the State Government of Hesse, which have granted us a loan of 294 million euros as corona aid.”
The foremost responsibility of the airline is to free itself from financial obligations. The airline had received a total of 550 million euros ($596.31 million) in loans in April.
Have you ever flown on Condor? Let us know about your experience.
