U.S. airlines report travel has declined sharply due to war WASHINGTON (Reuters) =97 Domestic and international travel on U.S. airlines= =20 is off sharply because of the Iraq war with the industry cutting more than= =20 10,000 jobs in the past week, an industry trade group said Wednesday. The=20 Air Transport Association, which represents the largest carriers, said that= =20 domestic bookings are down 20% when looking out over the next 60 to 90=20 days. International bookings are down more than 40% in some regions. ames= =20 May, the group's president, also said in a conference call with reporters=20 that airlines have eliminated 10,000 jobs since the past week, and remains= =20 on track to cut 70,000 positions if the U.S.-led military action lasts at=20 least 90 days. Losses over that period could reach $4 billion, the group=20 reaffirmed. May said the industry is approaching a point where the=20 sustained decline in travel and rising fixed costs, like labor a fuel=20 expenses, could push more financially fragile carriers into bankruptcy.=20 "Given the economic circumstances of the industry, it is not that far down= =20 the road," May said. United Airlines and US Airways are both in bankruptcy and American Airlines= =20 may take that step later this year. The industry is seeking government help= =20 to offset losses related to war. But Congress and the Bush administration=20 have not reached any consensus on any assistance package.Ted Stevens, an=20 Alaska Republican and chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, said= =20 Wednesday he was ready to offer an airline aid proposal next week in an=20 emergency spending bill covering war-related expenses. Stevens did not=20 detail his plan, but lawmakers have shown increasing interest lately in=20 providing airlines with relief from some aviation security costs as well as= =20 help with meeting high-risk insurance expenses. "We have been heartened by= =20 a number of public comments from both sides of the aisle and both sides of= =20 the hill," May said. "But I don't think we can say we have any agreement=20 that anything is going to happen yet." *************************************************** The owner of Roger's Trinbago Site/TnTisland.com Roj (Roger James) escape email mailto:ejames@xxxxxxxxx Trinbago site: www.tntisland.com Carib Brass Ctn site www.tntisland.com/caribbeanbrassconnection/ Steel Expressions www.mts.net/~ejames/se/ Site of the Week: http://www.thehummingbirdonline.com TnT Webdirectory: http://search.co.tt *********************************************************