Middle East airline Qatar Airways laid off about 200 Filipino staff in Doha this week.

Philippine Labour Secretary Silvestre Bello told Reuters that the government was trying to ascertain the “real cause” behind the unexpected decision to lay off the workers.

Qatar Airways did not respond to an emailed request for comment.

State-owned Qatar Airways had warned it would report its third consecutive loss this financial year, which ends this month, before the outbreak battered global travel demand.