Air Canada has announced it's cutting its workforce by at least half next month, and people are shocked by the staggering number of layoffs. 

The country's largest airline will be firing "approximately 50 to 60 per cent" of their 38,000 employees come June 7, said the company in a memo to staff Friday. 

Anywhere between 19,000 to 22,800 people will be affected by the layoff. 

A somber time for the global travel industry. So many great memories on short, medium and long-haul #aircanada flights. Hopefully, they can partially recover at some point in time....Air Canada to lay off 20,000 workers amid travel industry collapse https://t.co/br2a3U4Wjp

— RST (@ExplorerDiver) May 16, 2020

The airline industry has been one of those hardest hit during the global pandemic, but people have taken to social media to offer up their two cents on Air Canada's decision, and what it all means for Canadians travelling. 

Here comes another taxpayer funded corporate bailout to air Canada,how many is that now?

— Mike (@mikewolff74) May 16, 2020

The airline is now flying at around five per cent of the capacity it flew this time last year. According to Craig Landry, Air Canada's executive VP of operations, the airline is losing $22 million per day.

Air Canada Bailout! The joke is on us Canadians! CBC is defending the millions given to the airline to keep them afloat yet pay their employees. After getting our tax dollars, they officially lay off 20,000 employees & tell them to apply for CERB. Can you believe it!?

— ♠️ Anne Cleo Evanoff (@AEvanoff_TheAce) May 16, 2020

Many of its flights these days are dedicated to cargo only.

Most of these @AirCanada flights are cargo only, but some are passenger flights carrying freight, as always. In addition to PPE, honey, chilled meat, fresh salmon, pharma and industrial parts are just some of the commodities on board. 10:30 ET 05/16. #supplychain #aircargo pic.twitter.com/bCzIfac8Y2

— Johanne Cadorette (@JCadorette) May 16, 2020

"Sadly, today the hard truth is that by every indicator we have available to us, we believe that we will be materially smaller for at least three years," said Landry in the e-mail. 

The airline was able to rehire thousands of employees, including 6,800 flight attendants , last month through Ottawa's wage subsidy program, but most of those workers have stayed home as planes remain grounded.

@JustinTrudeau for the love of god please don’t give more money to Air Canada! They got the wage subsidies and still laid people off after hiring them back.

— Chris Wilson (@ChriswilsonBC) May 16, 2020

They're hoping to build up to 25 per cent capacity of flights later this year, but that all depends on what the Federal government's travel restrictions will look like in the coming months. 

Under the Quarantine Act, all non-essential travel outside of Canada has been banned until further notice.