Japan Airlines plans to trim an additional 1,200 jobs this financial year as Asia's biggest carrier faces slumping demand for air travel amid the recession.

JAL is expected to forecast losses for a second straight year when it announces its earnings Tuesday morning.

It said it plans to cut about 3 percent of its work force by the end of March 2010 by not filling vacancies. It has about 47,500 employees.

"We will minimize refilling posts by improving productivity," said JAL spokesman Satoru Tanaka.

The carrier has been cutting its work force and reining in costs in recent years but was forced to implement another round of job reductions as the economic downturn has driven down both business and leisure travel.

The company has forecast a net loss of JPY63 billion yen (USD$641 million) for the year ended March 31.