There’s Trouble In The Air For GoAir Thanks To Lockdown

It’s very easy to simply say that yeah it’s alright! There’s a shutdown everywhere. It’s a lockdown period. And that one needn’t worry; things will be fine. Just sit back and watch the time pass. Things will be good! Well, surely, that is true. Because during the period of the lockdown, there’s honestly not much that one can do anyway. But does that mean that the businesses that aren’t running, but would have, had things been normal, may not be suffering from any losses?

That’s not true right? In fact, what can be further from the truth? GoAir is one of the most popular and sought after airlines in all of India. Remember, this isn’t just some random geography. The world’s largest democracy has plenty of air-bound traffic each year where hundreds of thousands regularly take to the skies.

So what might have been the overall effect of this current state of lockdown on one of India’s most widely revered airlines, GoAir? Have you ever thought about that one?

Where the news reports stand, at this point in time, then it’s a matter of fact that, better days do not seem to be pointing toward GoAir, which, it’s been confirmed, has made some hefty plans regarding cutting down of its own workforce in the times to come.

That being said, nothing is too hunky dory and is far from being, at least in the current perspective.

Confirmed updates suggest that GoAir itself has asked around 90 per cent of its current workforce to go on an indefinite leave without pay.

Now, while this may read like some random statistic, one tends to understand the larger perspective and full magnitude of the problem upon giving it a closer perspective.

To understand just what is the extent of the workforce loss that is being borne by the organization, it’s important to know its current workforce.

Apparently, 5,500 employees together represent the collective workforce of GoAir. So when the airliner asked around 90 percent of 5,500-strong workforce to go on an ‘indefinite’ leave without pay, one truly understands the catastrophic loss that this impairment points to.

It’s a massive loss. Humungous, truth be told.

Meanwhile, reporting in elaborate detail about the developing story was Bloomberg Quint that shared the following:

The airline, the second biggest customer for Airbus SE in one of the fastest growing markets in the world, is checking with the government to see if it can continue to sell tickets for travel after the country’s nationwide lockdown ends on May 3, the people said. Late Saturday Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri had tweeted advising against that. There’s been no clarity so far if flights, especially international, even when the lockdown is taken off.

Moreover, here’s what a spokesperson for the airline had to say on the ensuing saga:

“GoAir joins a slew of carriers across the world which have seen all revenue vanish swiftly, as travel bans all but stop air travel, forcing most to ground thousands of jets. South African Airways plans to lay off its entire workforce after failing to persuade the government to provide more financial aid, while Royal Jordanian Airline has enough cash to survive until the end of June and plans to ask the government for tax breaks.”

Surely, there’s no rocket science in suggesting that the airliner has seen better days. No?