Swiss WorldCargo, the air freight division of Swiss International Air Lines, has announced plans to implement short-time work for its personnel from June 1, in response to what it said were “continuing substantial declines in airfreight volumes.”

The carrier, now part of the Lufthansa Group, which earlier this year put its staff on shorter working hours, has said that the adoption of short-time working is intended to retain jobs in the current global economic crisis, and is unavoidable if the company is to respond to the present slump in demand without major cuts in personnel terms.