American Airlines to send pilots home

FORT WORTH, Texas — American Airlines says it will lay off up to 175 pilots beginning next month because it needs fewer pilots after cutting some flights .

American today sent notices to 80 pilots, telling them that they will lose their jobs at the end of February. A spokesman said there could be a second round of furloughs in the spring.

American’s parent, AMR Corp., said this week it lost $344 million in the fourth quarter. The company has lost more than $3.5 billion in the past two years.

The company says it has too many pilots after cutting some flights because of weak travel demand, as well as fewer pilot retirements than expected.