Continental Airlines will eliminate about 80 jobs in Salt Lake City as part of a plan to cut 500 reservation agents companywide and close a call center in Tampa, Fla.

But Continental's Salt Lake City call center may also pick up some jobs if Tampa-based agents accept the airline's offer of a transfer, a spokeswoman said Wednesday.

The Houston-based carrier is trimming jobs and closing the Florida center because of the weak economy and customers' growing preference for making Web-based reservations, Kelly Cripe said.

About 270 of the eliminated positions will be in Houston, another 100 in Tampa and the rest at Continental's 500-employee call center at 5416 West Amelia Earhart Drive in Salt Lake City, Cripe said.

The company is offering a number of voluntary programs to employees, including "early out" severance and leave of absence programs.

Some Tampa-based reservations agents will also have the option of transferring to reservation centers in Salt Lake City and Houston, the carrier said. The closure will be completed by July 19.

Cripe said it's possible the center west of Salt Lake City International Airport may pick up some jobs if any Tampa agents accept transfers. "Potentially, yes, [but] we don't know."

Continental said it will also offer relocation assistance to affected employees.