Bombardier To Lay Off 2,500 Employees

Bombardier Aviation has announced that it will be reducing its workforce by approximately 2,500 employees due to the impacts of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The majority of the layoffs are expected to take place at Bombardier’s manufacturing operations in Canada. According to the company, the staff reductions will be carried out progressively throughout the rest of the year.

“When the pandemic first arose, Bombardier Aviation responded quickly, suspending manufacturing operations to support local government efforts to slow the spread of the virus and to protect the health and safety of employees, partners and customers,” the company said in a statement. “Now with business jet deliveries, industry-wide, forecasted to be down approximately 30% year-over-year due to the pandemic, Bombardier must adjust its operations and workforce to ensure that it emerges from the current crisis on solid footing.”

As previously reported by AVweb, Bombardier halted non-essential work at most of its Canada-based sites at the end of March. The company began to gradually resume activities at its manufacturing facilities on May 11. Bombardier employs more than 60,000 people across its aviation and transportation segments.