Delta Air Lines said Tuesday that some of its Twin Cities operations will be consolidated in Atlanta, and a spokesman with Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport said the move would affect "hundreds, not thousands" of jobs.

The company plans to move training centers for flight attendants and pilots to Atlanta, as well as engineering and technical support teams. The airline said it will offer jobs to all those affected who are willing to move.

The airline has 12,500 workers in Minnesota from its acquisition of the former Northwest Airlines. Most of them are dedicated to supporting the airline's operations at the airport and are likely to remain unaffected by the changes, said the airport spokesman, Patrick Hogan.

In a letter to employees Tuesday, CEO Richard Anderson said the moves will save money as fuel prices have risen sharply this year. Although the company no longer needs the buildings in Minneapolis-St. Paul, he said, it does need the people who staffed them. He expects the moves to be completed next year.

Delta, based in Atlanta, bought Eagan-based Northwest Airlines in 2008.

Last month, Delta said it planned to offer buyouts to an unspecified number of workers as it cut capacity by 4 percent. Delta didn't say how many jobs would be cut.

STAFF AND WIRE REPORTS