Air Traffic Down 10% From War, Group Says

U.S. air passenger traffic fell 10% during the week the Iraq war began and the industry cut 10,000 jobs, underscoring the need for government aid, a U.S. airline industry trade group said.

The Air Transport Assn. said that domestic traffic fell 7% in the week ended Sunday and that traffic between Europe and the U.S. dropped 25%. The group said bookings for domestic flights in the next 60 to 90 days had fallen 20%, and 40% for trips to Europe.

Combined losses of U.S. airlines would reach $10.7 billion this year because of the war, instead of $6.7 billion previously expected, the trade group said.