Top 3 Carriers Get Most Federal Aid

UAL Corp.’s United Airlines, AMR Corp.’s American Airlines and Delta Air Lines Inc. have received the most money so far in the first two rounds of a U.S. aid plan stemming from the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

United got $644million, including $253.4million in the second round, the Transportation Department said. American received $583million, with $223.8million in the second round, and Delta got $529million, including $201.9million in the latest distribution. The three are the largest U.S. carriers.

Midway Airlines Corp., which received no money in the first round, got $10.1 million in the second round.

Twenty-three airlines have received about $1.3billion in second-round payments, and the total to all carriers will be about $4.25billion once the latest distribution is complete. Congress approved an airline aid plan in September that includes $5billion in cash and $10billion in loan guarantees after the attacks reduced air travel demand.

The amount to each carrier is based on capacity or actual loss, whichever was less.