Aviation workforce shrank by 39,000 in April-Sept due to Covid-19: Ministry

Highest impact seen in employment at airports which shed 19,247 employees during this period

The Covid-19 led disruption in air travel caused over 39,000 job losses in the Indian aviation sector last summer, according to the civil aviation ministry.

The International Air Transport Association has called 2020 the worst year in history for air travel. Passenger demand plunged 66 per cent globally over 2019. In India too, domestic air traffic halved last year due to two months of lockdown and gradual lifting of restrictions.

This forced airlines to ground aircraft, pare their utilisation and defer deliveries, all of which resulted in reduced manpower requirements last year.

In response to a query from Rajya Sabha