Covid-19 impact: Air India suspends contract of around 200 employees

Air India on Thursday temporarily suspended the contracts of around 200 employees including pilots, who were re-employed after retirement, as all domestic and international commercial passenger flights have been suspended in the country till April 14 to curb the COVID-19 pandemic, a senior official said.

"Since almost all the planes have been grounded and the carrier's revenues have taken a significant fall during the last few weeks, the airline has decided to temporarily suspend the contract of around 200 employees including pilots who were re-employed after their retirement," said the official.

The national carrier has already cut the allowances of all employees, except cabin crew, by 10 per cent for the next three months in order to save money amid the coronavirus pandemic.

According to the health ministry, death toll due to coronavirus touched 50 on Thursday. Total number of positive cases has risen to 1,965 in the country.