American May Lay Off 900 Flight Attendants

Airline Also Expects To Lay Off Pilots, Mechanics DALLAS -- American Airlines said it could cut 900 flight attendant jobs as it reduces flights to cope with record high fuel costs. American, the nation's largest carrier, said Wednesday that job cuts were necessary "to overcome near-term challenges and secure our company's long-term future." The Fort Worth-based airline expects to reduce jobs for pilots and mechanics too, but it has not released numbers yet. In May, American announced it will cut capacity 11 percent to 12 percent later this year, retire some planes and cut an unspecified number of jobs. Federal law requires employers to give 60 days notice of major layoffs, and officials of the flight attendants' union said they received a notice Wednesday of job reductions that could start Aug. 31. Airlines and union... [read full story]