Frankfurt - German airline Lufthansa announced plans Monday to introduce short-time working for ground staff in response to dwindling passenger numbers caused by the global economic downturn.

The airline said 1,000 of its 31,000 employees in Germany would be affected by the move, but not those in the main hubs of Frankfurt and Munich.

Last month Lufthansa carried 10.5 per cent fewer passengers than in January.

The company said details of when and where the cutbacks would be introduced were still being worked out.

"We want to guarantee jobs during the global economic crisis. In order to do this we have to adjust our capacity to meet demands," the company said in a statement.

Lufthansa has already introduced short-time working at its subsidiary Cargo and at a call centre in Dublin. Last year the airline stopped hiring in many areas.

Last week it announced cost-cutting measures that include mothballing 24 aircraft and savings of more than 100 million euros purchasing.

The airline, Germany's biggest, has forecast another drop in earnings this year after a 64-per-cent decline in 2008 profit due to the economic downturn. (dpa)