Turkish Airlines to put foreign pilots on unpaid leave

A Turkish Airlines plane arriving from Istanbul parks at the Basel - Mulhouse Euroairport in Saint Louis, eastern France, on August 4, 2020. (File/AFP)

• The unpaid leave will start on Nov. 1
• The company did not specify how many pilots would be affected

DUBAI: Turkish Airlines has emailed company staff regarding the carrier’s plans to put foreign pilots on unpaid leave dur to the negative economic impact of coronavirus, Bloomberg reported.
The unpaid leave will start on Nov. 1 and the decision will be subject to a review after six months, the email said, but did not specify how many pilots would be affected.
The airline’s spokesman declined to comment.
Turkish Airlines reported a loss of $280 million in the second quarter and nearly a two-third drop in passenger numbers.
The company has not fired employees or applied for government financial help, but has cut by 50 percent pilot wages and also decreased salaries of other staff.