=20 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- This article was sent to you by someone who found it on SF Gate. The original article can be found on SFGate.com here: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=3D/news/archive/2002/03/27/f= inancial1231EST0124.DTL ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Wednesday, March 27, 2002 (AP) Northwest recalling more employees, retiring DC10s early KARREN MILLS, AP Business Writer (03-27) 14:33 PST MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- Northwest Airlines said Wednesday that it will recall about 500 ground workers who were laid off when the airline reduced its schedule by 20 percent following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. The majority of the employees being recalled to permanent jobs are customer service agents and equipment service employees, said spokesman Kurt Ebenhoch. Some of the employees being called back earlier were called back to work temporary jobs such as deicing airplanes, he said. The callbacks will be throughout the United States, but most of the jobs will be in Detroit and Minneapolis. The recall marks the second time since the terrorist attacks that Northwest has called back employees to permanent jobs, Ebenhoch said. Earlier, the Eagan-based carrier recalled 312 part-time reservation agents to permanent jobs. After Northwest cut its schedule by 20 percent in the wake of the attack= s, the carrier laid off about 9,000 workers. As passengers return to flying, Northwest has been rebuilding its schedule. "As business conditions permit, it is our hope to be able to recall our employees," spokesman Kurt Ebenhoch said Wednesday. "While we anticipate that a few positions will become available in various locations, we have no general recall planned at this time." This spring's schedule is now only about 11.5 percent smaller than last spring, partly due to restoration of the evening schedule out of Memphis, Ebenhoch said. Anderson said the Eagan-based carrier has had more flights delays during March because of record amounts of freezing rain, ice and snow. "We thought we were going to get through winter untouched. It's been very mild. In fact we've had some great favorability in our glycol (deicing) expenses. But March isn't going to let us get by without a little taste of harsh winter," Anderson said. Although Northwest is completing 97.7 percent of its flights, only 69 percent have been on time in March, against a goal of 80 percent, he said. Anderson also announced that Northwest will be retiring the remainder of its 21 DC-10-40 aircraft by the end of September to save money. Most of those three-engine planes are being replaced by more efficient twin-engine Boeing 757-200s and 757-300s, he said. "We had intended on operating them a bit longer, but given the environme= nt we thought it prudent to go ahead and retire those at the end of the summer season," he said. In trading Wednesday on the Nasdaq Stock Market, Northwest shares were up 8 cents to close at $18.65. =20 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Copyright 2002 AP