Singapore Airlines (SIA) is letting go of all its cadet pilots and cabin crew trainees, although about half will get to complete their training first. The airline has also stopped taking in new recruits, The Straits Times understands.

There are now more than 400 flight and cabin crew trainees at various stages of their course.

Those asked to abort training are mainly foreigners.

A spokesman for the airline said: "SIA is committed to supporting them (those being retained) through their training programme."

But it will not be able to keep them beyond that point, due to excess manpower amid the Covid-19 pandemic that has plunged the aviation sector into its darkest hour.

SIA, however, said that it will be open to hiring them should demand for air travel return to pre-Covid-19 levels.