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Airline Cuts

Tuesday, September 1, 2009, 12:39pm CDT | Modified: Wednesday, September 2, 2009, 7:35amAMR to cut 921 flight attendant jobsDallas Business JournalAmerican Airlines Inc. said Tuesday that 921 flight attendant positions will be eliminated, effective Oct. 1. The move will help the airline reach its previously announced goal of cutting 1,200 flight attendant jobs by the end of the year.The airline had delayed the cuts to allow time for flight attendants to accept voluntary leaves. In a statement, American said the reductions include "449 voluntary options, 224 involuntary overage leaves and 228 furloughs.”Flight attendants who volunteered to accept leaves saved 279 jobs from ending up on an involuntary furlough list, the airline said. With a two-month involuntary leave, 244 flight attendants will preserve their jobs while also allowing other flight attendants to continue flying.After accounting for the overage leaves, travel separations and modified flying schedules, the airline still had to eliminate 228 flight attendant positions to reach its goal of cutting 1,200 positions by October.American announced in late spring that the carrier would make the cuts to help keep the airline's operational expenses in line with the business demands of the current economy.Southwest Airlines Co. will cut 42 round-trip flights but add another 32 round-trip flights for schedules that run from Jan. 10 through March 12.The changes will mean a loss of 10 round-trip flights during the early 2010 travel period, Southwest said. A spokesman for the airline said 92 markets will be affected by the changes.The only adjustment in North Texas is the addition of one flight between Dallas and Houston, Dallas-based Southwest (NYSE: LUV) said.The airline says it's adjusting its flight schedule due to changing traffic patterns.Southwest uses optimization technology to help assess customer demand and add value, a spokeswoman for the airline said, noting that scheduling changes at Southwest occur throughout the year.
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