Northwest Airlines cutting 2,500 jobs, will charge for first checked bag

MINNEAPOLIS: Northwest Airlines Corp. is the latest U.S. airline to cut jobs because of high oil prices. The carrier said Wednesday it will eliminate 2,500 management and front-line jobs. It previously announced that it would shrink the amount of flying it does by roughly 9 percent later this year.

President and CEO Doug Steenland blames the cuts on fuel costs that have more than doubled in the past year.

Northwest says it will offer voluntary departures. It says furloughs will be used only if it does not get enough volunteers to reach the 2,500 number.

Northwest also says it will begin charging $15 for the first checked bag, matching a fee added by other carriers this year. And the airline says it will begin charging a fee for frequent-flier award tickets _ from $25 for domestic tickets to $100 for flights to Asia.