Swiss airline to cut 3,050 jobs, 34 aircraft BASEL, Switzerland (AP) =97 Switzerland's struggling national carrier Swiss= =20 International Air Lines said Tuesday it will slash its work force by more=20 than a quarter and cut 34 aircraft from its fleet. The airline, known as=20 Swiss, said a meeting of its board had approved the latest cost-cutting=20 plan =97 including 3,050 job losses =97 which aims to save about $1.2= billion.=20 "The board of directors is convinced that the planned restructuring is an=20 essential condition for the survival of Swiss," the company said. On=20 Monday, trading in the airline's shares was suspended for two days because= =20 the board meeting was expected to announce drastic cuts. Swiss, formed with= =20 government help in March 2002 on the foundation of the collapsed Swissair,= =20 lost 980 million francs =97 then $706 million =97 in its first year of=20 business. The company already had said it planned to cut costs by $454=20 million this year. In May, Swiss said that more drastic measures were needed because of=20 economic problems plaguing the airline industry. The company was one of=20 several which cut services to Asia because of falling demand amid the SARS= =20 crisis and the Iraq war. "Only healthy, well positioned companies will=20 survive" in the global airline market, Swiss said Tuesday. About 700=20 cockpit jobs will go, Swiss said. Another 850 flight attendants and 1,500=20 ground staff also will lose their jobs. The company currently employs about= =20 10,500 people. Swiss said the losses were a "painful measure," adding that= =20 it is holding talks on the layoffs with labor unions. GATA, the biggest=20 union representing ground staff, called the cuts "unacceptable" and accused= =20 the ariline's board members of acting "brainlessly." The airline said it=20 will cut 34 aircraft from its fleet, leaving it with 74 planes. After the=20 changes, due in the fall, Swiss' long haul fleet will stand at 18 aircraft,= =20 its medium-haul 21 and its regional fleet at 35. Swiss said it will=20 eliminate about a third of the destinations in its network. The airline=20 also said it plans to start charging economy class passengers for in-flight= =20 services like meals on European flights =97 something many low-cost airlines= =20 do already. *************************************************** 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.carib-link.net/naparima/naps.html TnT Webdirectory: http://search.co.tt *********************************************************