With the surging price of the fuel, a number of major airlines have started to feel the effect and are now finding ways to deal with increasing cost and sustain their business.

In the latest development, pilots working with the United State’s 2nd largest airline, United Airlines are set to become the early casualties. In a massive plan to reduce the operational cost, more than 900 pilots will lose their jobs, while more than 500 other staff will lose their job too.

During the first quarter of the year, the company lost a staggering amount of half a billion dollar, after the fuel price reached the $100 mark per barrel.

At the moment, United Airlines employs about 6,600 pilots. The move will make the company as the first major commercial airline operator to implement job cut that affect the cockpit crews.

The job cut will begin in September 2008 and shall continue until next year. Apart from cutting the workforce size, the company has also been grounding about 100 of its planes from flying.

A number of major airlines, including those in the Europe and Asia, are set to follow United’s move.