AIRLINES

ValuJet Travails May Lead to Higher Fares: Travelers may face higher air fares due to turmoil in the low-cost airline industry after the ValuJet crash on May 11, airline experts said. Meanwhile, ValuJet Chairman Robert Priddy said his company has paid $4.1 million in refunds to customers who were booked on canceled flights or were afraid to fly after the crash in the Florida Everglades. The Atlanta-based discount airline, which previously offered refunds only in special cases, changed its policy when delays and last-minute cancellations piled up because of stepped-up federal inspections after the crash, which killed 110. “I would certainly expect that the worst of the refund situation is behind us,” Priddy said in a conference call with investors.