The airline announced this week it would slash 1750 positions as a result of falling profits.

The cuts are expected to affect a range of positions within the company including management, baggage handlers, cabin crew, pilots and check-in staff.

Mr Lewis, 50, said that the news has alarmed all of the airline's workers, many of whom live in St George and Sutherland Shire.

"With four children, a mortgage and a wife going through chemotherapy the news has created stress I obviously don't need,'' Mr Lewis said.

"Fear has just swept through the place and with no negotiations at present we have no idea where we stand. Everybody is in danger.''

The airline has said it will also ground up to 10 aircraft and defer delivery of four Airbus A380s to cut costs.

Qantas's chief executive Alan Joyce said in a press release yesterday that Qantas's international services and Qantas Freight were bearing the brunt of the decline in economic conditions, while Jetstar, the Qantas Frequent Flyer business and QantasLink were continuing to perform well.

"We have no choice but to lower our profit forecast and make major changes to ensure Qantas can weather the current commercial environment,'' Mr Joyce said.

"This means moving immediately to reduce capacity in those areas of our business facing the greatest impact of market deterioration.

"We want to avoid redundancies wherever possible so we will be trying to use a range of workforce initiatives to manage the downturn such as, annual leave, long service leave, attrition, redeployment, leave without pay, promoting part-time work and exploring job-sharing.''

ACTU spokesman Ian Wilson said the union was waiting on a meeting with Mr Joyce in the next few days to discuss a minimisation of job losses.

"We are calling on Qantas to do whatever they can to secure the positions of current employees,'' Mr Wilson said.

Will you be affected by the staff cuts?