UPDATE 1-Finnair says seeks further 100 mln euros in savings
* 70 percent of this staff related and targeted for 2010
* No lay-off decisions made
HELSINKI, June 5 (Reuters) - National carrier Finnair Oyj (FIA1S.HE) said on Friday it would seek an additional 100 million euros ($142 million) in cost savings as it struggles with weak demand and falling ticket prices.
"Finnair's turnover has fallen since the beginning of the year by almost 15 percent because of a reduction in scheduled traffic and a fall in the average ticket price," the firm said in a statement.
Finnair said 70 million euros of the new programme, which comes on top of a previously announced group cost savings plan for 100 million, would focus largely on reducing staff costs and be "emphasised" on 2010.
"Our biggest cost item is staff costs, which represent about a quarter of all our expenditures and that is why savings targets must concentrate in that direction," Deputy Chief Executive Lasse Heinonen said in a statement.
"No decisions about new (lay-off) talks ... have been made," Finnair added.
Finnair shares were little changed after the news, off 0.4 percent at 4.59 euros in thin volumes.










