Dallas ? American Airlines said it will slash 1,100 flight attendant jobs in the coming months as it prepares to operate fewer flights next spring.

The company will offer employees voluntary options such as job sharing and leaves of absences in order to reduce the numbers of flight attendants, American spokesman Todd Burke said Tuesday.

He said that the window for flight attendants to take the options will begin Wednesday and close Jan. 7. After that, American will have a clearer idea of how many people will be laid off. Any job cuts would take place Feb. 1, Burke said.

The Fort Worth, Tex.-based company notified the Association of Professional Flight Attendants, the union representing American flight attendants, on Monday.

Union spokesman George Price said American’s absence program will provide flight attendants with all of their regular employee benefits, but no paycheck.