Singapore Airlines ends hiring freeze

Singapore Airlines ends hiring freeze

Carrier resumes recruiting cabin crew as it recovers steadily from pandemic impact

Singapore Airlines has resumed recruitment of cabin crew, ending a hiring freeze over the past two years as the Covid-19 pandemic decimated air travel around the world, Channel News Asia reported on Saturday.

The resumption of hiring for cabin crew comes as travel to and from the city-state recovers and countries around the world ease travel restrictions following an increase in vaccination rates against the disease. 

“Most of our pilots and cabin crew have returned to active duty with SIA,” Channel News Asia reported, citing a statement from the carrier. The airline plans to increase its capacity “in a calibrated manner” as travel demand picks up, it added.

Singapore’s government has initiated vaccinated travel corridors with dozens of countries, helping to raise the load factor for Singapore Airlines and its affiliates to 46.5% in December from 13.7% the previous year.

In September 2020, the company eliminated about 4,300 jobs, or 20% of its workforce, as the coronavirus outbreak devastated the aviation industry. The carrier has raised S$21.6 billion (US$16 billion) in additional liquidity since April 2020 to help cover expenses and survive the pandemic.