BERLIN - Almost two-thirds of Lufthansa's global staff will work reduced hours after the German airline grounded much of its fleet due to the coronavirus pandemic, a news site reported on Wednesday.

Citing unnamed company sources, Business Insider said Lufthansa would apply for about 60,000 employees in various sister companies to work reduced hours, after it announced short-time working for cabin and ground staff on Monday.

That would bring the total of Lufthansa staff working reduced hours to 80,000. Lufthansa employs more than 135,000 staff worldwide.

Lufthansa was not immediately available to comment.

On Monday, Lufthansa said that members of the executive board had waived 20% of their compensation "in solidarity with all employee groups".

(Reporting by Thomas Seythal, editing by Emma Thomasson) ((berlin.newsroom (at) thomsonreuters.com; +49 30 2888 5156;))