Fewer Flights Offered to Mexico

US carriers cutting service to Mexico.

By: Associated Press | WSAV-TV
Published: May 02, 2009

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DALLAS (AP) - Many U.S. airlines say they're cutting back on flights to Mexico as swine flu fears wreak havoc on many Americans' travel plans.

Continental Airlines, the biggest U.S. carrier to Mexico, says it will cut the number of seats it sells to the country in half beginning Monday.

Delta says it too will reduce service, but didn't say by how much. United Airlines also says it plans to slash its weekly flights for next month by more than half.

American Airlines says it's monitoring travel demand to Mexico but hasn't canceled any flights yet.

Southwest, which doesn't fly to Mexico, says it has noticed fewer people booking flights as summer draws closer. CEO Gary Kelly says bookings this week have been "erratic at best."

But, Standard & Poor's analyst says if the problem is isolated to Mexico, the problem should only be a short-term blip for the airlines.