=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/2003/03/11/f= inancial0747EST0019.DTL ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Tuesday, March 11, 2003 (AP) Japan Airlines System to cut 3,600 jobs, lowers profit forecast for this ye= ar (03-11) 04:47 PST TOKYO (AP) -- Japan Airlines System Corp. will eliminate 3,600 ground crew jobs, or 7 percent of its work force, over the next three years, the company said Tuesday. The biggest Japanese airline company also slashed by two-thirds its prof= it forecast for the fiscal year ending this month. The downward revision to 8 billion yen ($68 million) from its November forecast of a profit of 24 billion yen ($205 million) was based on expectations for sluggish demand in the international passenger business because of fears about a possible war in Iraq. A slowdown in the world economy has also hurt international travel, it said in a statement. Japan Airlines will make the job cuts through retirement, holding back on hiring and moving jobs to other sections rather than layoffs, said company spokesman Hirohide Ishikawa. The cuts will be almost all in Japan. The company employs 52,500 people worldwide. The company did not have a regional breakdown for job cuts outside Japan. The reductions and other cost-cutting efforts will help boost Japan Airlines System's profits to 35 billion yen ($299 million) for the fiscal year ending in March 2006, up more than fourfold from the profit expected for this year. The carrier also decided not to create a separate cargo company under the group but will create an international flight and domestic flight units, Ishikawa said. =20 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Copyright 2003 AP