Delta to resume full flight schedule

0 Comments | Deseret News (Salt Lake City), Oct 8, 2005 | by Associated Press

ATLANTA -- Delta Air Lines Inc.'s cancelation of certain domestic flights over a two-week period to conserve fuel will end today.

The Atlanta-based airline said Friday it will be resuming its full flight schedule. The nation's third-largest carrier, which operates a hub at Salt Lake City International Airport, said it believes fuel supplies in the Southeast have now stabilized.

Also Friday, the New York Stock Exchange said it plans to suspend trading of Delta shares by Oct. 13. The action follows Delta's decision to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on Sept. 14 and the fact that its average closing price for its shares has been less than $1 for 30 consecutive days.

The NYSE said the delisting is subject to certain procedures, but noted that Delta does not plan to challenge the determination.

Delta stock was unchanged to close at 85 cents per share Friday on the NYSE. In after-hours trading, shares dropped 14 cents, or 16.5 percent, to 71 cents.

Delta announced earlier this month that it decided to cancel select flights to conserve fuel after hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

The effort did not affect international flights. Delta has not said how many flights it canceled.

Delta had said it wasn't experiencing a shortage of jet fuel but wanted to conserve energy. It said the cancelations would be minimal, affecting early morning and late-night flights that have low bookings.