In an effort to cut costs, several hundred pilots and cabin crew may be laid off at Hong Kong Airlines (HX, Hong Kong International) as its financial crisis continues, according to the South China Morning Post.

Of the carrier's 3,481 employees registered as of January 1, around 200 pilots and cabin crew are vulnerable to losing their jobs, inside sources told the newspaper. There are currently 1,573 cabin crew, already a substantial decrease from 1,926 registered at the airline on January 1, 2019.

Asked about the size and scope of possible job cuts, the airline did not dispute the numbers provided by the South China Morning Post.

Hong Kong Airlines adjusts its “staff strength from time to time based on operational needs”, a company spokeswoman said simply, adding: “We have sufficient manpower to run our operation and deliver the best service to all our customers.”

According to the ch-aviation fleets module, Hong Kong Airlines is currently operating only 27 of its 42 aircraft. Of its twelve A320-200s two are currently inactive, of its eleven A330-200s six are inactive, of its thirteen A330-300s four are inactive, and of its six A350-900s three are inactive.

The potential for significant layoffs came as some local media reported on January 1 that 20 employees in head-office positions and some pilots had been dismissed on New Year’s Eve.