Indonesia`s Merpati Nusantara Airlines to lay off 501 workers

Jakarta (ANTARA News/Asia Pulse) - State-owned PT Merpati Nusantara Airlines (MNA) says it will lay off 501 more workers starting June, as part of a restructuring program.

MNA president Hotasi Nababan said the early retirement program, the second so far, will cost Rp70 billion (US$7.8 million). In March, MNA sacked 498 workers under the same program, reducing the number of its employees to 2,596.

Nababan told legislators in a hearing that the program is aimed at improving the efficiency and productivity of the airline, which mainly serves domestic routes.