US Airways to Eliminate 600 Jobs

US Airways will eliminate 600 airport and baggage-handler jobs when the summer travel season ends in September.

The cuts will affect about 2% of the airline’s workforce, including 340 ticket counter and gate agents. Some baggage handling will go to outside firms.

Last month, US Airways offered 400 flight attendants voluntary furloughs.

US Airways, an operating unit of US Airways Group, is the fifth largest airline in the United States. A member of the Star Alliance, the airline has a fleet of 353 mainline jet aircraft and 319 regional jet and turbo-prop aircraft connecting 200 destinations in North America, Central America, the Caribbean, Hawaii, and Europe. As of December 2008, US Airways, headquartered in Tempe, Arizona, employs 33,765 people worldwide and operates 3,130 daily flights.