Etihad Airways said it cut jobs in several areas of its business, joining global airlines in taking tough measures to slash costs as the coronavirus pandemic forced global air travel to a near-standstill.
"The coronavirus pandemic has brought unprecedented challenges to businesses around the world, and Etihad is no exception," an Etihad spokeswoman said on Tuesday. "It is clear the demand for travel in the near future will be significantly reduced and as a result we must make difficult decisions to ensure Etihad will weather this storm... we have had to make redundancies across several areas of our business to reflect current market conditions.”
The Abu Dhabi-based Etihad Aviation Group, which employed 20,369 people at the end of 2019, did not say how many people were made redundant or in which departments.
The loss-making airline has reduced salaries and grounded its fleet after the UAE suspended passenger flights in March to curb the spread of the coronavirus. The state-owned carrier operates repatriation flights to and from its hub in Abu Dhabi while cargo services continue.
On Tuesday, Etihad said it will increase the frequency of special flights and will add new services to Belgrade, Dublin, Geneva, Milan, Paris, and Toronto. It will also add services to Sydney, allowing a direct transit connection to and from London through Abu Dhabi. This is in addition to a link between Melbourne and London.
Earlier this week, Dubai-based Emirates said it is conducting a "review of costs and resourcing against business projections" after media reports that the airline is considering cutting jobs.
“No announcement has been made regarding mass redundancies at the airline. Any such decision will be communicated in an appropriate fashion," an Emirates spokeswoman said.
The Covid-19 pandemic has battered the global aviation industry with strict lockdown measures wiping out passenger travel demand. Global airlines are facing a liquidity crisis and risk of bankruptcy as revenue withers in the wake of reduced capacity or complete passenger flight suspensions.
Even as lockdown measures begin to lift in some countries, leading chief executives of carriers and trade bodies in the aviation industry warned it may take air travel demand several years to recover to pre-coronavirus levels.
Separately, Etihad Airways and Abu Dhabi's Global Aerospace Logistics (GAL) signed an agreement that will allow the carrier's staff to be seconded to the military and commercial maintenance provider.
Initially for a six-month period, the partnership will allow Etihad staff from maintenance, operations, supply chain and commercial departments to work on several of GAL's major aviation projects. The deal will also extend Etihad’s specialised career training and development.
"Like airlines the world over, Etihad Airways is having to review its current structure and resources and this partnership allows us the opportunity to retain talent for the future; while supporting colleagues in another Abu Dhabi aviation organisation," Tony Douglas, chief executive of Etihad Airways, said.
GAL is part of the Mission Support cluster within EDGE, the UAE's advanced technology group for defence, that was established in November 2019.
“In the current environment, with the Covid-19 pandemic having such an impact on us all, it is only right that organisations within Abu Dhabi come together to support each other through innovative new working partnerships," Sheikh Mohammed Bin Hamad Bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan, vice chairman of GAL and chairman of Abu Dhabi Airports Company, said.
Timeline
2012-2015
The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East
May 2017
The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts
September 2021
Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act
October 2021
Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence
December 2024
Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group
May 2025
The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan
July 2025
The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan
August 2025
Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision
October 2025
Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange
November 2025
180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
The biog
Favourite pet: cats. She has two: Eva and Bito
Favourite city: Cape Town, South Africa
Hobby: Running. "I like to think I’m artsy but I’m not".
Favourite move: Romantic comedies, specifically Return to me. "I cry every time".
Favourite spot in Abu Dhabi: Saadiyat beach
EA Sports FC 26
Publisher: EA Sports
Consoles: PC, PlayStation 4/5, Xbox Series X/S
Rating: 3/5
Brief scoreline:
Tottenham 1
Son 78'
Manchester City 0
In-demand jobs and monthly salaries
- Technology expert in robotics and automation: Dh20,000 to Dh40,000
- Energy engineer: Dh25,000 to Dh30,000
- Production engineer: Dh30,000 to Dh40,000
- Data-driven supply chain management professional: Dh30,000 to Dh50,000
- HR leader: Dh40,000 to Dh60,000
- Engineering leader: Dh30,000 to Dh55,000
- Project manager: Dh55,000 to Dh65,000
- Senior reservoir engineer: Dh40,000 to Dh55,000
- Senior drilling engineer: Dh38,000 to Dh46,000
- Senior process engineer: Dh28,000 to Dh38,000
- Senior maintenance engineer: Dh22,000 to Dh34,000
- Field engineer: Dh6,500 to Dh7,500
- Field supervisor: Dh9,000 to Dh12,000
- Field operator: Dh5,000 to Dh7,000
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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1.
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United States
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2.
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China
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3.
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UAE
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4.
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Japan
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5
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Norway
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6.
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Canada
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7.
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Singapore
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8.
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Australia
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9.
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Saudi Arabia
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10.
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South Korea
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Tributes from the UAE's personal finance community
• Sebastien Aguilar, who heads SimplyFI.org, a non-profit community where people learn to invest Bogleheads’ style
“It is thanks to Jack Bogle’s work that this community exists and thanks to his work that many investors now get the full benefits of long term, buy and hold stock market investing.
Compared to the industry, investing using the common sense approach of a Boglehead saves a lot in costs and guarantees higher returns than the average actively managed fund over the long term.
From a personal perspective, learning how to invest using Bogle’s approach was a turning point in my life. I quickly realised there was no point chasing returns and paying expensive advisers or platforms. Once money is taken care off, you can work on what truly matters, such as family, relationships or other projects. I owe Jack Bogle for that.”
• Sam Instone, director of financial advisory firm AES International
"Thought to have saved investors over a trillion dollars, Jack Bogle’s ideas truly changed the way the world invests. Shaped by his own personal experiences, his philosophy and basic rules for investors challenged the status quo of a self-interested global industry and eventually prevailed. Loathed by many big companies and commission-driven salespeople, he has transformed the way well-informed investors and professional advisers make decisions."
• Demos Kyprianou, a board member of SimplyFI.org
"Jack Bogle for me was a rebel, a revolutionary who changed the industry and gave the little guy like me, a chance. He was also a mentor who inspired me to take the leap and take control of my own finances."
• Steve Cronin, founder of DeadSimpleSaving.com
"Obsessed with reducing fees, Jack Bogle structured Vanguard to be owned by its clients – that way the priority would be fee minimisation for clients rather than profit maximisation for the company.
His real gift to us has been the ability to invest in the stock market (buy and hold for the long term) rather than be forced to speculate (try to make profits in the shorter term) or even worse have others speculate on our behalf.
Bogle has given countless investors the ability to get on with their life while growing their wealth in the background as fast as possible. The Financial Independence movement would barely exist without this."
• Zach Holz, who blogs about financial independence at The Happiest Teacher
"Jack Bogle was one of the greatest forces for wealth democratisation the world has ever seen. He allowed people a way to be free from the parasitical "financial advisers" whose only real concern are the fat fees they get from selling you over-complicated "products" that have caused millions of people all around the world real harm.”
• Tuan Phan, a board member of SimplyFI.org
"In an industry that’s synonymous with greed, Jack Bogle was a lone wolf, swimming against the tide. When others were incentivised to enrich themselves, he stood by the ‘fiduciary’ standard – something that is badly needed in the financial industry of the UAE."
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League final:
Who: Real Madrid v Liverpool
Where: NSC Olimpiyskiy Stadium, Kiev, Ukraine
When: Saturday, May 26, 10.45pm (UAE)
TV: Match on BeIN Sports
The biog
Born: Kuwait in 1986
Family: She is the youngest of seven siblings
Time in the UAE: 10 years
Hobbies: audiobooks and fitness: she works out every day, enjoying kickboxing and basketball
