Air New Zealand has brought forward the closure of its
London cabin crew base due to the impact of the coronavirus, with the route to
Los Angeles to be suspended from 21 March until 30 June.
The carrier had been planning to close the base with its
withdrawal from the London-LA route in October 2020, but London cabin crew will now
operate their final service on 20 March, with New Zealand-based crew due to
operate the remaining flight on 21 March.
The closure affects 130 flight attendants.
Leeanne Langridge, general manager cabin crew, said: “The increasing
travel restrictions due to Covid-19 are having a significant impact on bookings
and flight cancellations. While this is a tough decision, it’s important we
take action now to responsibly manage Air New Zealand through this difficult
period to maintain a national airline that is fit for the future.
“Our London-based cabin crew have always gone above and
beyond. They consistently provide exemplary service to our customers and we
remain incredibly proud of the base. Our priority now is supporting our people
and we’ll be working closely with them and their union.”
Air New Zealand said it is looking to reduce its labour
costs by 30 per cent across the business to mitigate the impact of Covid-19.