TAMPA (WFLA) – International airline Norwegian Air has announced it will be suspending over 4,000 flights and temporarily laying off almost half its workforce.
Norwegian has decided to ground 40 percent of its long-haul fleet and cancel up to 25 percent of its short-haul flights until the end of May.
This also includes temporary layoffs of up to 50 percent of the airline’s employees and the number may increase. All departments will be affected by temporary layoffs.
“This is an unprecedented situation and our main priority continues to be the care and safety of our customers and colleagues,” Jacob Schram, CEO of Norwegian, said in a statement. “We urge international governments to act now to ensure that the aviation industry can protect jobs and continue to be a vital part of the global economic recovery.”
The move follows President Donald Trump’s announcement this week that the U.S. is restricting visitors from certain European countries.
Tampa International flies to 10 cities using Norwegian Air including Barcelona, Helsinki, Oslo, and Stockholm. For a full list of locations affected click here.
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