American Airlines job cuts: 700 employees may be sacked

By the end of the current year, high fuel costs would spell doom for as many as 7000 employees at American Airlines.American Airlines has said that about 8 percent of its worldwide work force would be sent home as a result of its plans to reduce flights and ground aircraft due to sky rocketing high ATF prices.

It is feared that as many as 900 American Airlines flight attendants would be among those who would lose their jobs. It may be recalled that the airline, which is the largest domestic carrier in the US, had announced in May that it would cut flights by 11 to 12 percent in the United States. American Airlines has about 85,500 employees. An 8 percent cut mean reduction of around 6,840 jobs.

Meanwhile, the Association of Professional Flight Attendants has said that they have been served a notice by the American Airlines brass informing them of the impending decision. Union members with the least seniority are likely to be axed, it said. The airline has clarified that it expected job cuts to be in line with the 8 percent cut in worldwide flights it plans by the end of the year. American Airlines has added that it was studying the potential impact the decision would have on employee work groups. The airline believed that it would only be crucial to take the appropriate actions to operate a strong and competitive airline for both its employees and passengers.

An industry news source has pointed out that the American Airlines layoffs could likely be made effective end of August. In the meantime the airline brass would hold parleys with the flight attendants union and the pilots’ union.

American Airlines is not alone in such a situation. While United Airlines has said it has plans to axe 1,600 salaried and management jobs as well as lay off 950 pilots, Continental Airlines mulls over axing around 3,000 jobs.