Transat to use Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy to recall all its employees

Transat AT Inc. has announced its intention to use the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy to bring the company’s 4,000 employees — who were laid off temporarily — back to work.

On March 23, Transat announced the temporary layoff of 70% of its staff when it was forced by the pandemic to temporarily suspend its flights. Other layoffs followed which eventually affected 80% of its workforce.

According to the company’s news release, employees who are recalled will receive 75% of their baseline salary for a maximum of $847 per week.

Transat employees will not be required to work as part of the recall.

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Transat AT Inc., under the Transat and Air Transat banners, is an international tourism company specializing in holiday travel. The corporation offers vacation packages, hotel stays, and air travel to some 60 destinations in over 25 countries in North America and Europe.

The company’s measures aim to improve Transat employees’ compensation conditions and better position the company to more easily resume its regular operations following the crisis.

“Temporarily laying off a large majority of our employees was a necessary but heartbreaking decision,” said Transat President and Chief Executive Officer Jean-Marc Eustache. “We are very pleased today to be able to offer them this opportunity. Our employees are Transat’s greatest asset and I hope this will bring them some comfort in the face of a situation that is so distressing for all of us.”