Northwest, United cut overseas routes

Potential merger partners Delta and Northwest each came out with new measures prompted by the growing fuel crisis. Delta said that it will start imposing fuel surcharges on SkyMiles award tickets issued on or after August 15. The fee will be $25 for award travel within the 50 U.S. states or to Canada; and $50 for all other international travel. Northwest, meanwhile, said it will discontinue some transatlantic routes effective October 1. The carrier will drop its Hartford-Amsterdam service and its Detroit-Dusseldorf flights, and will also suspend Minneapolis/St. Paul-Paris service for the winter months. Customers booked on those routes after October 1 will be re-accommodated on other Northwest or SkyTeam flights. In addition, “Selective frequency reductions and aircraft type changes may also be implemented on additional transatlantic flights, depending on oil prices and ongoing customer demand,” Northwest said. In other news, United Airlines has decided to terminate its non-stop Denver-London Heathrow route on October 25, according to the Rocky Mountain News; it just started the route this spring. United will also reportedly end service in September to Ft. Lauderdale and West Palm Beach.