Rolls-Royce to Cut 9,000 Jobs in Wake of Coronavirus Aviation Crisis

London (dpa) - British aerospace giant Rolls-Royce said on Wednesday it would cut at least 9,000 jobs in response to the slump in air traffic during the coronavirus pandemic.

"This is not a crisis of our making. But it is the crisis that we face and we must deal with it," said the engine manufacturer's chief executive officer Warren East.

"We must take difficult decisions to see our business through these

unprecedented times," he added.

The majority of job losses are expected to fall in Britain.

Rolls-Royce, which employs 52,000 staff around the world, manufactures engines for wide-body aircraft used on long-haul intercontinental routes.

The aviation industry is expecting business from long-haul flights to remain sluggish for some time in the wake of the coronavirus crisis.

Major aircraft manufacturers such as Boeing and Airbus have scaled back production in response to the pandemic - particularly of the wide-body craft often powered by Rolls-Royce.

Experts estimate that passenger demand for flights will likely take several years to recover, beginning with short and medium-haul flights.

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