A special taskforce has been set up to deal with "severe disruptions" to Gulf Air's technical and flight operations, a report said.

The airline is also reviewing contracts of crew to determine compensation packages and is aware that other airlines are now preying on its staff, according to an internal memo obtained by the Gulf Daily News, our sister newspaper.

However, the memo - sent by chief operating officer Bjorn Naf - urged existing staff to stick with the airline.

He said layoffs would take place over the next 10 to 12 months, but added the need for staff cuts would be reduced in that time due to the carrier's resignation rate.

"We are aware that other carriers are coming to Bahrain to lure people with their packages," he said. "We welcome competition and we are proud that Gulf Air's staff are always the most sought after personnel.

"As we are all aware that our airline has been in the news and the recent media coverage has indicated that there will be significant reduction at Gulf Air staff, especially in the cabin and cockpit crew in the coming month.

"This is not correct. The process of cabin and cockpit crew staff reduction will take at 10 to 12 months, in line with the announced phase-out of the fleet and we believe that we will reach our target by virtue of attrition.

"Over the past years the airline has witnessed a resignation rate that we understand will highly contribute to the crew reduction.

"I can assure you that staff reduction will be done judiciously and we will consider all options before the reduction of the cabin and cockpit crew."

Meanwhile, he said help was "on the way" to fix problems with Gulf Air's technical and flight operations.

"Our airline has experienced some severe technical and flight operations disruptions, of which I am sure you are aware and I assure you we will fix it," Naf wrote.

"Help is on the way and a technical taskforce has been assembled and will get the desired results."

The GDN reported two weeks ago that there had been confusion over changes to Gulf Air's flight schedule.

At the time a spokesman admitted the airline had encountered problems, but said steps were being taken to upgrade its system and it was changing its network on July 1.

Officials earlier said the airline was working hard to get flights back on schedule after inheriting serious problems and blamed aircraft maintenance for delays and cancellations of some of its flights. Those comments were made shortly after a cost-saving strategy was unveiled last month to prevent financial losses of at least $1 million (BD378,000) a day.

Announcing a strategic plan called Making Gulf Air Well, new chief executive Andre Dose said the streamlining of staff and loss-making long-haul routes was the unfortunate cost of restructuring the airline.

Chairman-designate Mahmood Al Kooheji said at the time that it would have to shed around 1,500 of its 6,000 staff - adding that most of the cuts would be among foreign cabin crew.

However, one Gulf Air employee, who declined to be named, said the airline's public announcement that they were going to shed 1,500 jobs had "scared the life out of its employees".

"The experienced and qualified cabin and cockpit crew had no option but to look around for jobs in search of security and stability in their careers and their future," he said.

"It is little consolation to the staff to read in this new memo that the sackings will take place in 10 to 12 months time.

"What he (Naf) is trying to say is: 'Stay with us while we try to stabilise ourselves in the next 10 to 12 months and then we will sack you'."

A Gulf Air spokesman declined to comment on the memo saying it was an internal matter.

He added that Dose's mandate had already been made public. The GDN reported yesterday that more than 900 Gulf Air employees are unders