WestJet lays off another 415 pilots

Canada’s WestJet has laid off another 415 pilots as the coronavirus crisis continues tearing through that country’s aviation sector. The layoffs, which the Calgary-based airline announced in March, became effective on 1 April. Pilot union Air Line Pilots Association, International (ALPA) blasted the Canadian government for its ongoing inaction on sector-specific financial support, which it says led to these layoffs, and which continues to create uncertainty for Canada’s airlines. “Canada’s aviation sector is a critical part of Canada’s economy that facilitates both local and international commerce, plays an instrumental role in tourism and ensures the free movement of people and cargo throughout our vast and diverse country and around the world,” ALPA Canada president Tim Perry says on 1 April. “Unfortunately, the government continues in its failure to respond adequately to the effects of the Covid-19 crisis on Canada’s aviation sector. As the government continues to procrastinate, the industry grows more vulnerable with every passing day, and jobs continue to disappear.” <br/>