Lufthansa warns 22,000 jobs at risk despite bailout

BERLIN (AP) - German airline Lufthansa says 22,000 full-time jobs may need to be cut worldwide due to the drop in demand for flights caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

That's more than twice the number of jobs that the airline, which says it has over 135,000 employees, previously said might need to be axed.

Lufthansa, which also owns Swiss, Austrian Airlines and Brussels Airlines, said it expects to have about 100 planes fewer in operation after the pandemic.

Shares in Lufthansa were down almost 8% on the Frankfurt exchange Thursday.

In a statement late Wednesday, a union representing cabin crew, UFO, said its members were prepared to make concessions but expected job guarantees from the airline.

Lufthansa has agreed to a 9 billion-euro ($10 billion) bailout plan that would give a government stabilization fund a 20% stake in the airline.

Existing shareholders need to approve the bailout at an extraordinary meeting on June 25.