Emirates Workers Feel the Pinch as Demand for Luxury Travel Continues to Decline

According to a new Bloomberg report, the gulf carrier will start laying off senior crew members and support staff as the demand for pricey high-end air travel remains stagnant.

Emirates Airlines, which has been shedding staff through attrition for months now, will reportedly begin laying off some senior employees in an attempt to trim expenses. A strong U.S. dollar and historically low oil prices have made amenities such as transatlantic private first class suites, which start at around $19,000 per person, a tough sell in the oil-dependent Gulf region.

According to Bloomberg, the Dubai-based carrier will soon terminate “dozens” of workers as the airline struggles to rein in costs. The layoffs are expected to initially affect senior flight attendants and those in administrative positions. The furloughs, which have not been publicly announced, will also likely trim the ranks of the company’s middle and non-executive level upper management teams.

An Emirates spokesperson refused to confirm that job losses are on the horizon, but the company admitted to Bloomberg that “recruitment has slowed down as we streamline our operations, introduce new technologies, and find ways to better deploy existing resources internally.” The Persian Gulf airline pointed out, however, that the company will continue to recruit candidates for “critical roles.”

Emirates is not the only Gulf carrier to feel the sting of tough economics in the region. Last year, Etihad Airways confirmed to Reuters that it would look to trim its work force through a combination of retirement incentives and attrition. Qatar Airways, however, insists that the carrier has no plans to reduce staff and instead points to aggressive expansion plans for this year which include adding at least 15 brand new connections to its route map.

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