They are desperate, they're having a tough time financially, and are laying off employees as well. Something about making 60% less profit than expected, I wasn't that engrossed in the conversation that my dad and uncle were having, but that was one of the things being said.
Source: My uncle works at EK, he's over 60,and him and a similarly aged colleague have been offered a retirement package if they agree to leave in May this year, rather than their original retirement year which was supposed to be in early 2019.