NEW YORK (Reuters) - Delta Air Lines Inc. (DAL.N: Quote, Profile, Research) , the No. 3 U.S. carrier which has been restructuring in efforts 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 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 due to a computer glitch, is expected to overhaul its nationwide pricing policy next week, Time magazine said.
The Atlanta-based airline will halve ticket-change fees to $50 from $100 and slash fares on everything from first class to 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 it would launch over the next several months.
Delta, like other airlines, has been plagued by high costs, weak revenue, skyrocketing fuel prices and rising competition from discount carriers.
"Delta's success in the current aviation marketplace will depend on our ability to provide both good value and a good flying experience," Delta Chief Executive Officer Gerald Grinstein said in August.
Delta averted an imminent bankruptcy filing in October when its pilots approved $1 billion in giveback. Three of the top 10 airlines -- including UAL Corp.'s (UALAQ.OB: Quote, Profile, Research) United Airlines -- are currently under bankruptcy protection.
But while other major airlines have posted huge losses, low-cost carrier Southwest Airlines Inc. (LUV.N: Quote, Profile, Research) has remained consistently profitable, boosted by a low-cost structure that includes a fleet comprised only of Boeing 737s.
Delta is also overhauling its entire schedule, hoping to limit future flight disruptions and delays. The airline will add 81 flights and seven new destinations from Atlanta, but will spread all the flights out more over the day, the Time article said. In September, as part of a job-cuts announcement, the company said it would redesign its Atlanta hub to add more flights and reduce congestion. It also said it would expand its Web site services.
Delta spokesman Anthony Black declined 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 due to a computer glitch, is expected to overhaul its nationwide pricing policy next week, Time magazine said.
The Atlanta-based airline will halve ticket-change fees to $50 from $100 and slash fares on everything from first class to 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 it would launch over the next several months.
Delta, like other airlines, has been plagued by high costs, weak revenue, skyrocketing fuel prices and rising competition from discount carriers.
"Delta's success in the current aviation marketplace will depend on our ability to provide both good value and a good flying experience," Delta Chief Executive Officer Gerald Grinstein said in August.
Delta averted an imminent bankruptcy filing in October when its pilots approved $1 billion in giveback. Three of the top 10 airlines -- including UAL Corp.'s (UALAQ.OB: Quote, Profile, Research) United Airlines -- are currently under bankruptcy protection.
But while other major airlines have posted huge losses, low-cost carrier Southwest Airlines Inc. (LUV.N: Quote, Profile, Research) has remained consistently profitable, boosted by a low-cost structure that includes a fleet comprised only of Boeing 737s.
Delta is also overhauling its entire schedule, hoping to limit future flight disruptions and delays. The airline will add 81 flights and seven new destinations from Atlanta, but will spread all the flights out more over the day, the Time article said. In September, as part of a job-cuts announcement, the company said it would redesign its Atlanta hub to add more flights and reduce congestion. It also said it would expand its Web site services.
