Xeptu makes a very good point.
"Natural attrition" means resignations or retirements that are not replaced, thereby reducing overall staff numbers. This is good business in tough times and relatively painless to staff.
Retirement is retirement - I think that is pretty clear, and nothing at all to do with terminations or redundancies.
In this case, a whole bunch of people (30 was the number touted by those close to the action, not 19 but either way it is a big number) were terminated without notice. This event in no way resembles "natural attrition" or "retirement"! To claim this is normal business and was planned is just simply a nonense! If it was planned, why did they continue to hire new staff right up to a week before the redundancies? Why did a new ground school go through just weeks prior? Why did they continue to tout how well the company is going with winning new business (shareholder releases - growth, growth, growth). They appear to have significantly over hired and have too many aircraft (?) and seem to have to reduce the buisiness size.
Apologies for the bit of passion in my last posts - I was flat out gobsmacked when I read that press release!~