Air Carriers Pare Schedules

By JUSTIN BACHMAN
AP Business Writer

ATLANTA - With airlines struggling to coax people back on airplanes, most carriers have decided to pare their schedules and employee ranks to bring the supply of seats in line with anemic demand.

But many planes remained half full _ or even emptier _ Wednesday as frightened fliers and business people restricted from air travel continue to stay home.

Forget the era of 10 daily nonstops from Atlanta to San Antonio or 30 choices for flights from New York to Los Angeles, at least for now. They're not needed, airlines say.

"People are not getting on the planes," said Julie King, a spokeswoman for Continental Airlines, which has been flying its fleet half empty since the terrorist attacks last week on New York and Washington.

The Houston-based carrier has announced it will cut 12,000 workers, part of an industry move that could result in as many as 100,000 lost jobs. The nation's two largest airlines, American and United, plan to cut 40,000 workers.

Northwest Airlines' planes are flying only half full, down from the 80 percent load factor the company saw in August, an airline official told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.

America West spokeswoman Patty Nowack said the Arizona carrier's bookings have "dropped off sharply," although sales figures and passenger loads were unavailable Wednesday.

American, United and Southwest airlines have declined to specify how much business has disappeared, although industry analysts say all carriers have experienced the same sharp drops.

Delta Air Lines, the nation's third-largest carrier, flew about 100,000 passengers on Tuesday, down from the 250,000 it would expect on a typical September weekday, Delta spokeswoman Cindi Kurczewski said.

"As we continue to get more days of flying under our belt and the public becomes more confident in air travel, we hope to see the passengers return," she said.

So far, many have not, leading one airfare observer to forecast "dirt-cheap airfares" to entice travelers.

"We're going to see bargain-basement stuff," said Tom Parsons, editor of Bestfares.com, an online discount travel agency. He predicts fares to Europe will drop under $200 this year and transcontinental flights will fall below $130.

National Airlines, which has begun a "Get America Flying" campaign, is selling cross-country round-trips for $100 and less for departures on Tuesdays through Oct. 16 and has dropped advance-purchase requirements on most tickets.

Other carriers have begun offering deep, although spotty, discounts, such as a $104 round-trip fare Wednesday from Seattle to Fort Lauderdale, Fla. on several carriers and $98 round-trip from Dallas to San Jose, Calif. on American.

Kurczewski said Delta has no immediate plans for a fare sale, which would be "inappropriate" because of the proximity to the Sept. 11 attacks.

Tom Kozal, a Las Vegas travel agent, said his customers are seeking refunds and changes for their travel, still nervous about flying.

"I think most of them are considering if we go to war," Kozal said. "It puts a lot of fear into the public."

But Parsons said cheap fares are likely to overcome much flying angst.

"It's amazing what money could do to people," Parsons said. "I think last Tuesday you could have gone out in the street and said `Here's $10 would you get on my airplane?' People would have said `Are you crazy? No way.' But that's almost what the airlines are doing now."