SUCCESSFUL MITIGATION PROGRAMS ALLOW CO TO AVOID FURLOUGHS OF ALMOST ALL FRONT LINE EMPLOYEES Over 90 percent of targeted positions eliminated through voluntary programs or attrition CO announced today that due to the overwhelming success of voluntary leaves, enhanced retirement windows, job sharing and other voluntary programs offered to co-workers, the company will be able to avoid furloughs for all front line employee groups except pilots. As a result of these voluntary programs and attrition, over 2,500 full time front line positions have been eliminated without resorting to layoffs or terminations, other than termination of the employment of co-workers on performance-based termination warnings or resulting from station closures and schedule-related downgrades. Additionally, through attrition and reduction-in-force, about 300 management and clerical positions were eliminated. While the pilot furlough mitigation programs were successful, they were not sufficient to eliminate the need to furlough between 140 and 180 pilots, which will begin September 9th. The company announced in June that it expected to reduce domestic mainline capacity by 11 percent beginning in September, and to eliminate approximately 3,000 positions due to record-high fuel prices, the weak dollar and the weakening economy. <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> If you wish to unsubscribe from the AIRLINE List, please send an E-mail to: "listserv@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx". Within the body of the text, only write the following:"SIGNOFF AIRLINE".