Bombardier Aviation adjusts workforce in response to COVID-19

Above: Bombardier Belfast.
Courtesy Bombardier

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. Over the past month, Bombardier Aviation guided by health professionals and industry best practices, implemented comprehensive procedures and safeguards to further protect employees and communities as manufacturing operations resumed.

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.

Accordingly, Bombardier Aviation has made the difficult decision to reduce its workforce by approximately 2,500 employees. The majority of these reductions will impact manufacturing operations in Canada and will be carried out progressively throughout 2020. Bombardier’s worldwide customer service operations have continued to operate largely uninterrupted throughout the pandemic.

Bombardier expects to record a special charge of approximately $40 million in 2020 for this workforce adjustment and will provide further information on its market outlook when it reports its second quarter financial results on 6th August 2020.

In a statement, Bombardier Belfast commented: “Bombardier Aviation announced today that it would adjust its workforce to align with current market conditions reflecting the extraordinary industry interruptions and challenges caused by COVID-19. In light of this, we are reviewing our requirements for our Northern Ireland operations for all our aircraft programmes and will communicate any impact in due course. We have no announcement to make at this time.”