London's Gatwick Airport to Cut 600 Jobs

London (dpa) - Britain's second-busiest airport, Gatwick, announced plans on Wednesday to cut some 600 jobs and restructure its business following the "dramatic impact" of the coronavirus pandemic.

Gatwick said it plans to "reduce operating and staff costs in light of the dramatic impact Covid-19 has had on passenger and air traffic numbers."

The proposals could lead to the loss of about 600 jobs, or 24 per cent of current posts, the company said.

Passenger numbers this month have remained 80 per cent below the levels in August 2019, it said.

The airport closed one of its two terminals in March and limited flight times to an eight-hour daily slot.

"If anyone is in any doubt about the devastating impact Covid-19 has had on the aviation and travel industry then today's news ... is a stark reminder," said Stewart Wingate, Gatwick's chief executive.

Wingate said Gatwick was in talks with the government "to see what sector specific support can be put in place for the industry."

The main opposition Labour party urged the Conservative government to provide urgent help for the aviation industry, saying it contributes 22 billion pounds (29 billion dollars) and 267,000 jobs to the economy.

The Airport Operators' Association forecast in June that more than 20,000 airport jobs could be lost in Britain, or more than 110,000 jobs if firms directly or indirectly dependent upon airports were included.

VINCI Airports acquired a 50.01-per-cent majority stake in Gatwick last year, with the remaining shares managed by Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP).

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