A new charity has been launched to support workers in the aviation sector whose jobs have been affected or lost due to the impact of the coronavirus crisis.
Aviation Action (aviationaction.org) has been set up by Manchester airport head of airfield operations Chris Wild along with a team of fellow industry professionals who have come together to support colleagues during the pandemic, with aviation one of the sectors hardest hit.
"The Covid-19 pandemic has impacted the aviation industry in a way that we simply have not seen before," said Wild.
"The number of people losing jobs continues to mount and with the majority of flights cancelled across the globe in a fight to curb the transmission of the virus, the numbers are only set to rise.
"At a time when the industry needs significant support, I felt there was a lack of specific support available for the hundreds of thousands of people who work in aviation. I set up the charity to help people who specifically work in aviation when they most needed it."
The charity will support aviation industry workers from flight deck and firefighters to caterers and cabin crew. Run by volunteers, the charity is aiming to help hundreds of thousands of aviation colleagues facing personal and professional difficulties get back on their feet.
The Aviation Action website is being populated with supportive content and articles, while the charity will hold briefing sessions to cover key topics to provide support as it is needed.
Support from like-minded aviation professionals and peers is available directly from volunteers, while the website offers guidance on access to more specialist support such as recruitment, HR, finance, and mental health.