HALIFAX (CP) -- A move by Transport Canada to reduce the number of flight attendants on domestic aircraft will compromise the safety of passengers in an increasingly vulnerable industry, politicians and air crew warned Friday at demonstrations held across the country.

The opposition New Democrats joined with flight attendants to denounce the agency's bid to scale back the ratio of crew to passengers, insisting that in the post 9-11 world it should instead be increasing the number of crew members required.

''The government of Canada should in no way be compromising safety for the bottom dollar,'' said Peter Stoffer, a Nova Scotia MP who was surrounded by a dozen flight attendants at the Halifax International Airport.

''The travelling public should be fully aware that these flight attendants aren't there just to serve coffee. They're there for their safety and protection.''

Stoffer said the disputed measure is more about helping air carriers cut costs than ensuring the well-being of passengers, who could soon have fewer hands to help in an emergency.

Transport Canada is in the process of changing regulations that require most aircraft to have one flight attendant per 40 passengers. Under the new rule, that ratio would drop to one crew member per 50 seats.