Northwest Airlines cuts jobs, flight schedule MINNEAPOLIS (AP) =97 Northwest Airlines said Friday it will cut 4,900 jobs= =20 and reduce its flight schedule by 12% because of a drop in passenger demand= =20 because of the war in Iraq. Northwest said it was making the moves as it=20 also idles 20 planes. The airline cited "a drop in passenger demand due to both the threat of and= =20 now the commencement of hostilities with Iraq." "As world events unfold, Northwest will continue to monitor passenger=20 demand to determine whether additional actions are necessary," it said.=20 Northwest said it would use layoffs, attrition, voluntary leaves and leave= =20 open positions unfilled to make the job cuts. A relief package including=20 pay, medical coverage and flight privileges will be offered to the affected= =20 employees, the airline said. The cuts include 2,000 mechanics, 1,400 flight= =20 attendants, 630 baggage handlers and customer service agents, 250 pilots,=20 125 cleaners, 300 management and 150 clerical positions, and 40 stock=20 clerks, said Paul Volker, legislative officer for the Aircraft Mechanics=20 Fraternal Association Local 33. Northwest already had laid off about 12,000= =20 employees due to the slump in the airline industry. "Clearly, the last two= =20 years have been a difficult and painful period for our employees," chief=20 executive Richard Anderson said. "Due to the weak demand for business=20 travel which emerged in March 2001, the subsequent impact of the terrorist= =20 attacks on the United States in September of that year, and now, armed=20 conflict with Iraq, we have been forced to reduce our work force by some=20 17,000 employee positions." Other airlines, already suffering from a big drop in bookings before the=20 U.S. war with Iraq started, have cut back on flying schedules and staffing= =20 levels or were poised to do so. United Airlines had warned its employees=20 that layoffs could come as early as Friday. "With the initiation of=20 military action between the United States and Iraq, United is taking action= =20 to reduce its schedule and work force systemwide," the company said in a=20 taped message to employees Thursday. "Affected employees could be notified= =20 and placed on authorized no-pay status as early as tomorrow." While no=20 cutbacks were announced publicly, the Machinists' union said more than=20 1,100 mechanics at United's Indianapolis maintenance center were being put= =20 on temporary leave. The airline plans to put about 2,300 flight attendants= =20 on leave April 1, the Association of Flight Attendants said on its Web=20 site. Already this week, Continental Airlines announced it will cut its=20 work force by about 1,200 people by the end of the year to save $500=20 million. More layoffs are planned if war with Iraq is prolonged and air=20 travel remains soft. American Airlines, the world's No. 1 carrier, said=20 Thursday it will cut international flights by 6% in April to meet a=20 downturn in travel bookings due to the war in Iraq and could make=20 additional reductions if traffic remains slow. *************************************************** The owner of Roger's Trinbago Site/TnTisland.com Roj (Roger James) escape email mailto:ejames@xxxxxxxxx Trinbago site: www.tntisland.com Carib Brass Ctn site www.tntisland.com/caribbeanbrassconnection/ Steel Expressions www.mts.net/~ejames/se/ Site of the Week: http://www.thehummingbirdonline.com TnT Webdirectory: http://search.co.tt *********************************************************