Japan Airlines is working to cut its annual employment bill by ¥50 billion (US$425 million) from FY06 by increasing productivity 10 per cent, a hiring freeze and early retirement incentives. Th e carrier said it will off er early retirement plans to 900 cabin staff who will have completed 15 years of service and will be at least 54 years old if managerial, or 50 if non-managerial on 31 March.
It also said 630 ground staff holding middle management positions have accepted an early retirement package offered in August and will leave the carrier 30 November. A total of 250 senior management employees out of 450 eligible retired June 30 under a similar scheme.
JAL said that maintenance, engineering and flight operations control staff have been excluded “to secure smooth business operations and pass on skills and techniques.”