MADRID Reuters - Spanish tourism group Globalia will seek to reach an alternative furlough agreement with its unions should the Spanish government not extend its COVID furlough programme that will expire at the end of this month, a spokesperson for the company said.
Globalia - which owns airline Air Europa - will propose furloughs for organisational and productive reasons to about 9,000 employees in the group's various companies, including Be Live Hotels and handling firm Groundforce.
Globalia was still far from operating as it did before the coronavirus crisis, a source in the sector said.
Earlier this week, airline Iberia - which bought Air Europa in a cut-price deal recently - announced that it would also propose a furlough for its employees, under similar conditions, should Spain's force majeure government scheme not be prolonged.
Air travel to Spain has slowly begun to recover in recent months with 5 million international passengers arriving in August according to official data released on Monday, soaring by 172% from one year ago, but less than half pre-pandemic levels.