Heightened fears on anniversary deter air travelers By Barbara De Lollis, USA TODAY Few travelers braved the nation's skies Wednesday, as business travel=20 largely ground to a halt and jitters about another possible terrorist=20 attack kept would-be fliers away. Airlines, which had dramatically cut=20 flights 12% in anticipation of fewer passengers on Sept. 11, still flew=20 some planes only a quarter full. Air traffic was down about 30%, says the=20 Federal Aviation Administration. That will drive up losses; the industry is= =20 expected to lose about $6 billion this year. "We all recognize it is an=20 emotionally trying day," said US Airways spokesman David Castelveter. The=20 carrier, which is trying to restructure under bankruptcy-court protection,= =20 hired counselors for employees. Pilots asked passengers to remember the=20 Sept. 11 victims and their survivors. Signs of heightened fears: =B7 Two jetliners were diverted as precautionary measures. American=20 Airlines Flight 1702, bound for Dallas/Fort Worth, was escorted back to=20 Houston by two Air Force F-16s after the crew and two federal air marshals= =20 onboard grew concerned about two passengers who changed seats after=20 takeoff. Both were taken into custody. Northwest Airlines Flight 979 from Memphis to Las Vegas was diverted to=20 Fort Smith, Ark., and four passengers and their bags were removed. =B7 Spirit Airlines, which gave away 13,400 seats, flew with many of= =20 them empty. About a quarter of the passengers never showed, including about= =20 40% at New York's LaGuardia. =B7 Flights and airports were emptier than usual. US Airways said= about=20 25% to 35% of its seats were filled. Southwest Airlines said advance=20 bookings were light. New York's LaGuardia had 50% fewer flights; JFK, 60%=20 fewer. Denver airport officials expected about 60% fewer passengers. "We=20 went into Starbucks in Atlanta, and the place was empty," said securities=20 salesman Ridge Young, who was flying on to LaGuardia. "It was just a very=20 slow day." The owner of Roger's Trinbago Site: Roj (Roger James) *************************************************** escape email mailto:ejames@escape.ca Trinbago site: http://www.tntisland.com CBC Website http://www.tntisland.com/caribbeanbrassconnection/ The Trinbago Site of the Week: (Trini Tuner http://www.trinituner.com/ (TriniTuner.com) courtesy of Roj Trinbago Website & TnT Web Directory Roj's Trinbago Website: http://www.tntisland.com TnT Web Directory: http://search.co.tt *********************************************************