Air France-KLM May Cut 3,000 More Jobs

June 19, 2009
CEO says layoffs are based on "natural departures."

PARIS, FRANCE — Air France-KLM, Europe's biggest airline, may need to cut a further 3,000 jobs but only through natural attrition, its chief executive said on Friday.

Asked to comment on a report in French daily Le Parisien that Air France planned a further 3,000 job cuts, Pierre-Henri Gourgeon told RTL radio: "It may be of that order. For a company of 100,000 people, it's a 2-3 percent evolution.

"It's what happended last year. It's our goal and it's based on natural departures."

In April, Air France-KLM said it aimed to cut 2,500-3,000 jobs in the next two financial years.

Gourgeon would not confirm that the Franco-Dutch airline was also considering temporary lay-offs to adjust to the gobal economic downturn.

"We are reviewing all options. I have nothing specific to confirm on that issue. I do not know," he said, adding that the economic outlook was unclear.