Bristow Helicopters has made the decision to shut down its flight and maintenance operations at the New Iberia maintenance/hangar complex.

According to a spokesman at Bristow’s Houston office, the decision will lead to a reduction of employees at the complex. The decision is also in tandem with a decision to discontinue operations at Bristow’s Galliano headquarters. 

The administration and training facilities in New Iberia will remain open in support of continuing operations in the Gulf of Mexico and globally, the spokesman said. Search and rescue operations in Galliano will also not be impacted. 

“These decisions were necessitated by market conditions and aligned with the strategic purpose of the recently completed merger between Bristow Group and Era Helicopters,” the spokesman said. “They were also made after extensive and careful consideration and were ultimately made with the long-term viability and success of our business in the Gulf of Mexico region in mind.”

The number of jobs impacted locally by the decision is yet to be determined, but the spokesman said it will likely be “significantly less” than the rumored 350 job losses. 

Bristow is currently working through the process of determining the full impact of the decision, which will determine the final number. 

Employees were notified Wednesday afternoon of the decision.