Northwest renews fare wars
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.NORTHWEST Airlines has fired the first shot in a new round of fare wars extending into 1993 by announcing that it will continue deep fare discounts on transatlantic routes for an extra three months to the end of March.
Cut-price return fares, including Minneapolis to London for dollars 448 and Boston to Paris for dollars 398, were scheduled to end on New Year's Eve. But the 14-day advance purchase tickets will now be sold until mid-March for travel originating in the US during the first quarter.
A spokesman for American Airlines said yesterday that the carrier was studying the Northwest move in order to decide whether to cut its own fares for the first quarter, which is usually a slow travel season. American had matched the previous Northwest promotion, which is due to end on Thursday.
Northwest's US rivals had been hoping to see an end to fare wars after a disastrous 1992 that included a half-price promotion during the traditionally busy summer season.
In a recent report the Salomon Brothers brokerage commented that, judged in aggregate, the US airline industry is bankrupt, adding that 'if the industry were a savings and loan association the government would have seized it and liquidated it'.
Salomon said consumers were now addicted to low fares and were likely to postpone bookings in anticipation of fare wars.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments