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SINGAPORE: Singapore Airlines (SIA) said it is unlikely to cut its staff count, despite the challenging global environment.
Instead, it is seeking to cut costs through rationalising its flight routes, adjusting salaries and hedging fuel costs.
Chew Choon Seng, CEO, Singapore Airlines, said: "We are continuing to stay the course, take delivery of new aircraft as they come on. We still need people to be trained to man those new planes."
SIA booked a 27 per cent drop in first-half earnings to S$682 million, hurt by rising fuel costs and falling demand.
While the global slowdown has affected passenger numbers, SIA said its business traveller numbers have proven resilient.
Huang Cheng Eng, executive vice president, Marketing, SIA, said: "In terms of travel by corporate accounts - the big boys – those that you know are in trouble have come down, that much is obvious.
"But we also find that there are a lot of other niche and smaller financial institutions that are travelling quite a bit now because they are going all over the world to get business from what the big boys have lost. So that helps in a way."
But while the numbers appear to be holding up, SIA said many are opting to fly economy rather than business class.
The second half of the year should see SIA taking on more aircraft, with its fleet growing to 104 by March 2009.
- CNA/so
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