Delta May Slash Fares, Restrictions

Delta Air Lines Inc., the No. 3 U.S. carrier, which has been restructuring to avoid a bankruptcy filing, is expected to slash fares and remove restrictive rules such as Saturday night stays, Time magazine reported in its online edition on Sunday.

Delta spokesman Anthony Black declined to comment, citing company policy that prohibits discussing future pricing.

Delta, whose regional airline Comair was forced to cancel about 1,100 flights on Christmas Day because of a computer glitch, is expected to overhaul its nationwide pricing policy this week, Time magazine said.

The Atlanta-based airline will halve ticket-change fees to $50 from $100 and slash a wide variety of fares, including first-class and last-minute tickets, Time reported.

In August, Delta rolled out a test program in Cincinnati with the highest ticket price set at $499 for economy flights in the Lower 48 U.S. states and $599 for first class. The pilot program also eliminated Saturday night stay requirements and dropped ticket-change fees to $50.

The airline said in August that its Cincinnati initiatives would be the first of many over the next several months.

Delta, like other airlines, has been plagued by high fuel and other costs, weak revenue and competition from discount carriers.