United cuts flights, discounter Ted

0 Comments | USA TODAY, June, 2008 | by Barbara De Lollis

Reeling from runaway fuel prices, United Airlines announced among the deepest cutbacks yet by major U.S. carriers in flying plans for the fall.

United also said it is eliminating Ted, the Denver-based discount arm launched in 2004 to counter low-fare carriers such as Frontier and Southwest. Ted caters to leisure travelers with only coach-class seating, but starting next spring, its 56 Airbus A320s will be reconfigured with United first-class seats.

United also is cutting large-jet domestic flying by 14% in the October-December period and eliminating as many as 1,600 jobs. Its North American flying next year will be down at least 17% vs. 2007.

United is retiring all 94 of its Boeing 737s and six Boeing 747s.

It isn't the only carrier...