US Airways plans to cut more flights than originally planned this year due to stubbornly high
fuel prices.
The Tempe-based airline said Friday that it will reduce seat capacity by 3 to 4 percent in the second half of the year, vs. earlier forecasts of a 1.5 percent decline. It plans to remove three Boeing 737s from service in August but has not determined specific flight cuts.
The airline said travel demand remains strong but that
oil prices in the $100 a barrel range dictate the move. All major airlines are taking a look at their schedules to pare unprofitable flying.
US Airways planes were more packed in March than a year ago. The Tempe airline reported a load factor, or percentage of seats filled with paying passengers, of 84.5 percent, up 2.1 points from a year ago as a slight decline in passenger traffic was more than offset by a 2.7 percent decline in seat capacity.
