Air Mauritius will carry out a manpower audit to assess staffing requirements as it cuts routes and redeploys aircraft, said Donald Payen, its executive vice-president. “The number of employees per seat is one to one, twice the ratio for large airlines…We must interpret these figures with caution as large airlines have economies of scale which we don’t have. Our manpower audit will tell us what relates to scale and what is not.” Port Louis-based l’Express newspaper reported on Feb. 20 that the airline may fire as many as 500 of its 2,800 staff, citing Jack Bizlall, a negotiator on behalf of the employees. The airline’s recovery plan “does not refer to staff cuts,” Payen said.
The airline announced losses of 21 million euros ($28 million) for the nine months through December, prompting a restructuring plan aimed at returning to profit in the fiscal year through March 2014. Weekly flights to European destinations such as Geneva, Milan and Frankfurt will be halted, and the company plans to sell some aircraft by the end of 2012.