Major US Airline Cuts More Staff, Flights to Offset Fuel Costs

United Airlines, the second largest carrier in the United States, is cutting additional jobs, grounding airplanes that use the most fuel, and slashing domestic flights to offset record fuel prices.

United Airlines announced Wednesday it will cut an extra 900 to 1,100 jobs by the end of the year. The layoffs are in addition to 500 job cuts the carrier announced previously.

United is also grounding 100 of its least fuel-efficient aircraft, 94 Boeing 737s and six 747 airplanes.

The carrier will also slash domestic flights 17 percent by the end of the year.

Last month, American Airlines, the largest carrier in the United States, announced similar measures to offset the high cost of fuel.

American Airlines said it would cut an undetermined number of jobs and slash domestic flights by up to 12 percent.

Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.