By James Pilcher
Enquirer staff writer
Comair will be spared major cuts in the Delta Air Lines restructuring plan being unveiled this morning. But the Erlanger-based regional carrier is likely to see renewed pressure from its parent, Delta, to lower costs to stay competitive, company and industry sources said.
In addition, the plan could focus more Comair flights on Cincinnati and the Northeast.
Delta's hub operation at the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport also will be spared any major cuts under the plan, according to the sources.
Delta will announce that it is closing its hub in Dallas, the sources said. That will mean substantial job cuts there, especially at regional subsidiary Atlantic Southeast Airlines.
Delta spokesman John Kennedy would not comment Tuesday on the plan or confirm any details. Chief executive officer Gerald Grinstein is scheduled to unveil the plan via a Webcast at 8:30 a.m. today.
It wasn't clear Tuesday if the plan included any changes to employee compensation or benefits. Many local workers, who asked to remain nameless, said that even if jobs are preserved, they were concerned about what could happen to their pay, pensions and medical plans.
Atlanta-based Delta has been hailing the restructuring as a way for the financially troubled airline to reinvent itself and return to sustained profitability.
The airline has lost more than $5 billion in the last three years, including $1.96 billion in the second quarter of this year alone.
Its stock closed Tuesday at $4.48, up 38 cents or 9 percent.
Grinstein, who ordered the crafting of the plan after taking over Jan. 1, has warned workers job cuts would be necessary as part of the plan. But he has not said how many jobs would be cut, nor how they would be eliminated.
Delta has trimmed 16,000 jobs since the 9/11 terror attacks. It now employs more than 4,000 at the Cincinnati hub and Comair employs another 4,000-plus locally.
The airline employs about 4,000 in Dallas between mainline and regional operations.
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E-mail jpilcher@enquirer.com
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