As a result of the upslope in fuel costs, Delta Air Lines has decided to offer a severance buyout to more than half the company's workforce, an estimated 30,000 employees. To further compensate for the rising costs, the airliner will cut 5% of its domestic capacity. The severance buyout will not effect Delta pilots, only the mainline employees. Delta has been in talks with Northwest on a possible merger, however, Delta pilots have not been able to come to an agreement on work-plan details.

1. Total number of full-time employees: 55,044
2. Oil prices: $111 a barrel as of Mar. 18, 2008
3. Delta Northwest Merger would create the largest airliner in the world

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• Google News: Delta Buyout

• CNNMoney.com: Delta plans to buy out 30,000 workers and cut capacity by 5% (March 18, 2008)

• The Associated Press: Delta to Offer Severance to 30,000 (March 18, 2008)

• The Canadian Press: Delta Air Lines offering severance packages to half its workforce (March 18, 2008)

• Reuters: Delta to offer voluntary retirement to 30,000 (March 18, 2008)

• Bloomberg.com: Delta Air to Shrink Capacity 10%, Cut 2,000 Jobs (March 18, 2008)

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