COVID-19 impact: Emirates offers one-year unpaid leave to some pilots

Emirates has confirmed that it has asked "some pilots to take unpaid leave for 12 months" in response to the significant economic impact of COVID-19.

In a statement sent to ARN News, the airliner said it will "continue to provide accommodation, medical cover and other allowances".

The spokesperson added that there is "the possibility of an early recall back to duty depending on how quickly demand rebounds and our operational requirements".

The Dubai-based carrier said it will continue to "protect our talent pool for post-pandemic business recovery, but we also need to consider the impact of the current situation on our operations and cost base.

"Across the Group, we are implementing various offers including unpaid leave and more flexible working time models."