United Kingdom
United States
Asia Pacific
Delta starting fare wars?
Delta is becoming more like a low-cost carrier amid reports it was lowering its fares, streamlining its schedule and eliminating such unpopular requirements as Saturday-stay rules.
The fare overhaul could have an impact on the other mainstream airlines that may also choose to follow Delta’s example, travel observers said.
“This could trigger the biggest shift in airline ticket pricing since Congress deregulated the industry in 1978,” wrote Keith Alexander, a business columnist for The Washington Post.
The troubled airline is slashing fares as much as 60%, said Time magazine and The Wall Street Journal.
Air Lines plans to start today a sweeping program to streamline its fare system, capping economy-class fares at $499 each way and eliminating the mandatory Saturday night stay.
While many low-fare companies already charge less than $499 for their highest-priced tickets, the Delta program is the most extensive fare adjustment by a traditional airline since a similar effort by American Airlines in 1992.
Northwest Airlines said such a program could “immediately adversely and significantly affect” revenue in the industry, which has lost $30 billion since 2000.
Reports also said the airline is overhauling its entire schedule in an effort to reduce disruptions and delays.
As part of the various changes, ticket-change fees would be reduced from $100 to $50.
Delta’s move could signal the end of its popular low-cost Song.
A spokesperson for Delta declined to comment on the various changes, other than to say the company does “not make public statements about fare structures before they are made public.”
Report by David Wilkening
David
Kittipong Prapattong’s Plan for Thailand’s Tourism Growth: Taxes, Visas, and Campaigns
James Jin: Didatravel’s Journey from China to Global Reach and the Impact of AI on Travel
Darien Schaefer on Pensacola’s Evolution: From Small Town to Global Destination
Florida Tourism’s Next Frontier: Dana Young on Expanding Beyond the Classics
Patrick Harrison on Tampa Bay Tourism’s Resilience and Marketing Strategy
Bubba O’Keefe on Clarksdale’s Vibrant Music Scene
Commemorating Elvis and Embracing Tupelo’s Culture with Jennie Bradford Curlee
Craig Ray and the Expansion of the Blues Trail
Presenting Mississippi’s Cultural Trails with Katie Coats
Robert Terrell: A Journey Through BB King’s Influence
Rochelle Hicks: Celebrating Mississippi’s Musical Legacy
Exploring Jacksonville with Katie Mitura: The Flip Side of Florida
Boy falls to death on cruise ship
Dozens fall ill in P&O Cruises ship outbreak
Turkish Airlines flight in emergency landing after pilot dies
Unexpected wave rocks cruise ship
Woman dies after going overboard in English Channel