Air France-KLM will axe up to 3,000 jobs over the next two years.

Europe’s biggest airline Air France-KLM will axe between 2,500 and 3,000 jobs over the next two years.

The economic downturn has hit the air transport sector hard, with many airlines downsizing to stave off the effects of the crisis.

Earlier this month, Australian airline Qantas slashed its annual profit forecast and announced the culling of approximately 1,750 jobs.

Air France-KLM will reduce staff numbers by suspending hiring, not renewing temporary contracts and not replacing retiring members of staff, thus avoiding redundancies.

The airline said that it would offer assistance to those employees wishing to pursue careers outside of the company.

In further attempts to cut staffing costs, Air France-KLM will encourage staff to take time off on sabbatical leave or for training.

Passenger traffic for the carrier was down by 9.4% in March and many other airlines are experiencing similar problems.

Forecasts for the air transport sector remain gloomy as the Civil Aviation Authority reported in March that passenger numbers at UK airports had fallen last year for the first time in 17 years.