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Empty seats produce discount airline tickets"DISCOUNT AIRLINE TICKETS" Can't find what you need? Try a Google Web Search in the box below!
12/22/1999 Airlines Have Empty Christmas Seats DALLAS -- Trying to book an airline seat from Chicago to Orlando two days before Christmas is usually a lost cause, but not this year. "As of midday Wednesday, every one of Thursday's 19 scheduled flights on the route still had open seats so you have discount airline tickets. The story is similar for many other routes and virtually all major airlines, travel experts say. As a result, airlines are responding with aggressive sales." ``You'd normally expect Dec. 23 to be a heavy travel day. But to have that many seats open from Chicago to Orlando? Come on,'' said Terry Trippler, a columnist for 1travel.com, an Internet travel site. ``This is highly unusual.'' More discount airline tickets: Can't find what you need? Try a Google Web Search in the box below!
Experts say some last-minute travelers might have been scared away by increased security in airports, warnings about terrorist threats and even fears of Y2K computer problems. Airline officials say they expected slow sales for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day -- as well as New Year's Eve and Jan. 1 -- but they expect to make it up on other days with discount airline tickets. ``Travel on Christmas Day is light, but periods before and after are quite good,'' said Doug Killian, a spokesman for Northwest Airlines. ``Today (Wednesday) is a busy day for us, and the 26th through 28th will be busy,'' added Joe Hopkins, a spokesman for United Air Lines, the nation's biggest carrier. But the airline has also reduced its capacity from a year ago, he said, anticipating lighter demand and trying to offer more discount airline tickets. ``I think Y2K is part of it, and the State Department warning didn't help,'' Hopkins said. On Dec. 11, the State Department issued a warning urging Americans to exercise extreme caution during the final weeks of 1999 and the first days of the new year because of terrorism threats. The Federal Aviation Administration followed that up Tuesday by ordering tightened airport security. ``We're doing what's necessary for security, but the public understands that,'' said Al Becker, a spokesman for American Airlines. ``We haven't seen that (fear of terrorism) affect the numbers.'' Becker said American's flights this week and next week will be about 70 percent full or more, with some flights full and other half-empty, often depending on the time of day. ``There's no question there are seats out there and will be offering more discount airline tickets'' The airlines have stepped up the pace of promotions to fill seats, offering some last-minute travelers to chance to get discount airfares without the typical 21-day advance purchase period, said Tom Parsons, editor of Bestfares.com, which sells discount airline tickets online. Can't find what you need? Try a Google Web Search in the box below!
United, for example, is offering a range of discounts on cheap flights to 43 international cities on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day through its Web site, Hopkins said. On its Web site, Continental Airlines has discounted its round trips from Houston to tropical Cancun and other sites in Mexico as low as $179. ``Last year, you couldn't get a seat to Cancun,'' Parsons said. ``I know because I went there for Christmas.... Compare discount airline tickets here /cheap airfares home |