Delta wants to reduce employee-related costs by $500 million by 2005 ATLANTA (AP) =97 Delta Air Lines said Wednesday it wants to cut=20 employee-related costs by $500 million over the next two years, but isn't=20 calling for more layoffs, as it detailed efforts to turn around the=20 struggling carrier. Atlanta-based Delta outlined 16 initiatives it hopes=20 will reduce non-fuel costs by 15 percent by 2005. The target does not=20 include Delta's proposal to cut pilot wages. It also does not call for more= =20 workforce reductions, spokeswoman Peggy Estes said. Delta has reduced its=20 workforce by 16,000 employees through layoffs, attrition and voluntary=20 programs since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. "Our profit=20 improvement initiatives are the cornerstone of a broad transformation=20 taking place at Delta," said chief financial officer Michele Burns. "We are= =20 restructuring every aspect of our company to make Delta a formidable=20 competitor in today's =97 and tomorrow's =97 economic environment." The plan to cut employee-related costs involves a review of health and=20 pension benefits, contracted services and unspecified overhead expenses.=20 It's separate from the company's April proposal to cut pilots' hourly wages= =20 by 22 percent, cancel pay raises due over the next year and reduce some=20 benefits. Delta also wants to rescind a 4.5 percent raise its pilots=20 received May 1. The pilots union's economic and financial analysis=20 committee has said it doesn't support the proposal. It has said the airline= =20 needs to cut costs to survive but noted employees have already made=20 sacrifices. Other initiatives detailed Wednesday include putting more=20 self-service kiosks in airports and offering more low-fare travel options,= =20 like its newly launched discount carrier. Last week, in another=20 cost-cutting move, Delta said it is shifting much of its advertising and=20 marketing services to an in-house team. Delta, the nation's No. 3 airline=20 behind American and United, lost $1.3 billion last year and $466 million in= =20 the first quarter this year because of a downturn in the travel industry. *************************************************** 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/ Mas Site: www.tntisland.com/tntrecords/mas2003/ Site of the Week: http://www.natalielaughlin.com/ TnT Webdirectory: http://search.co.tt *********************************************************