Delta promoting lower fares in key America West markets

Wednesday, Aug. 1, 2001 | 11:08 a.m.

An airline fare war for business customers is pitting two of the top air carriers at McCarran International Airport.

America West Airlines, the No. 2 airline at McCarran with about 81 flights a day, and No. 4 Delta Air Lines, with 23 flights a day, both cut fares for business travelers late last month.

Patty Nowack, a spokeswoman for America West, said the Tempe, Ariz.-based carrier reduced fares without much fanfare. America West operates from hubs in Columbus, Ohio, and Phoenix as well as Las Vegas, meaning that most of its flights are either to or from those cities.

Delta responded with its own fare cuts, ballyhooed in press releases -- but only for flights in the Columbus, Phoenix and Las Vegas markets.

The new fares average 60 percent less than the previous lowest walk-up fares available. Like America West's sale, tickets can be purchased for one-way travel and have no advance-purchase or minimum-stay requirements. Other normal business fare restrictions also have been eliminated.

In the Las Vegas market, Delta is offering one-way fares of $201 to Fort Lauderdale, Fla., compared with the previous lowest fare of $401; $258 to Hartford, Conn., compared with $1,018; $192 to New York, compared with $364, and $279 to Orlando, Fla., compared with $608.

Alesia Watson, a spokeswoman for Delta, said the airline's cuts were not in response to America West's sale, even though Delta's fares are only good on flights to and from America West's hub cities.

"We put these fares in to generate traffic in light of the current economic situation," Watson said. She said she "could not even give a reason" for the lower fares being offered in America West strongholds.

Dennis Casteel of Carlson Wagonlit Summerlin Travel said airlines routinely match fares to keep loyal customers from jumping to the competition.

"It always happens that way," Casteel said. "As soon as one jumps, all the others jump off the cliff, whether it's good or bad for them."