More airlines are asking their staff to go on “leave without pay” as flight services remain suspended till May 3 in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

GoAir on Sunday said majority of its 5,500-odd employees will now be on “leave without pay” (LWP) till May 3 as its entire fleet remains grounded in the wake of the extended lockdown, the airline has said.

SpiceJet on Sunday said a limited number of staff from its engineering team have been put on leave without pay for a month each on a rotational basis and that no decision has been taken on salary cut across the company.

Earlier, sources had said that the airline has decided to send employees earning more than Rs 50,000 per month on leave without pay on a rotational basis. The salary for April is likely to be paid to staff for the days they were on duty, they said.

An airline spokesperson clarified that no company-wide decision has been taken on the issue of salary cuts or leave without pay at SpiceJet for April.

“A limited number of staff from the engineering team have been put on leave without pay for a month each on rotational basis,” the spokesperson said in a statement.

In March, Wadia group-owned GoAir had asked its employees to go on LWP on a rotational basis, besides cutting their salaries.

The latest communication will now apply to all employees.

Vistara and Air Deccan had earlier announced similar measures to cut salary expenses.

“The lockdown has been further extended till May 3, and with this extension, our fleet continues to be completely grounded. Hence, we are constrained to request you to proceed on ‘leave without pay’ till May 3,” GoAir said in a communication to its employees on Saturday.

Most of the airlines had chalked out their plans to resume services from April 15 in expectation that the lockdown will be lifted.

An official, however, said about 10 per cent of the 5,500-odd employees, who are crucial for certain tasks even when there is no operation, continue to work and will be paid partial salary.