Travel portal Yatra.com has announced steps aimed at cutting down on expenses following the loss of business due to the lockdown. All flights, both domestic and international have been suspended. This means there is practically no work for a portal like Yatra.com; no bookings of any kind. The company has now decided to send some employees on unpaid leave for two and a half months, starting April 16. Other staff will have to bear pay cuts of different proportions. The founders themselves have decided to draw only 50% of their salaries.
The company has however confirmed that it is quite hopeful that things will return to normal post the lockdown and they are not particularly concerned about the future. These steps are being taken to ensure the employees don’t lose their jobs. Its only a temporary measure Yatra.com says.
The way Yatra.com has gone about selecting the employees to be placed under different slabs is based on their utility to the business. Those employees who are needed to carry on with work irrespective of the lockdown will receive their salaries after a deduction of 25%. The ones below them will be on 50% pay and then 25% of the pay. There is a last rung, where there is no utility at all and those are the ones being sent on leave without pay till June 30. It is possible they may be recalled earlier if travel restrictions are removed and ticketing work begins again. As mentioned, founders have decided to take a pay cut of 50% for the whole year. For the employees, this arrangement is only till June 30.
Travel business is undoubtedly one of the worst hit due to cancellation of flights across the world and within the country. Many are apprehensive about the return of the old times when they had full flights operating. Travel agencies like Yatra.com have had to take a bigger hit.