“This time we’re not going to react like the previous time for this time it is us who wanted to resign because of the strict working conditions that have been imposed upon us. But we were hanging on with the carrier because of the ongoing recession,” said another airhostess.

What was perhaps the clearest indication about the impending job cuts with the carrier was the fact that for the month of May, the airline had only prepared flight rosters till the 15th of this month. “Usually the roster for the entire month is given out but this time we got the roster only till the 15th of this month,” said a flight steward. Most of the respondents who spoke had participated in the October protests last year.

The country’s largest domestic carrier issued a total of 229 pink slips to 50 of its cabin crew members and 119 overseas staffers. Also, it did not renew 60 more contracts of those who had already superannuated but were working with the airline. Speculations are also rife that more job cuts are expected in the near future.

“To streamline costs to improve the financial health of the company under the current challenging global economic environment, the airline has issued notices of termination to identified employees on contract who have superannuated and some cabin crew members on probation in accordance with the terms and conditions of their contracts and in compliance with the law,” the airline had said in a statement on Friday.