Delta Air Lines is extending the deadline of its employee buyout offer as it moves to cut 2,000 jobs.

The deadline was to be January 31st, but Delta is extending the option period to February 11th.

Atlanta-based Delta announced the buyout plan in December.

The buyouts are part of Delta’s plan to eliminate flight capacity in 2009 by 8%. The reductions in jobs and flights, following Delta’s merger with Northwest Airlines, are an effort to bolster the bottom line as travel wanes in the global recession.

Both carriers had already cut thousands of jobs in 2008 through early retirements and other buyouts.