STORY:
Air Canada, Canadian, BA Cancel Flights

Carriers join American Airlines by canceling flights on New Year's Eve

Air Canada, Canadian Airlines and British Airways are joining American Airlines by announcing the cancellation of some flights around the New Year's Eve holiday, not because of computer Y2K fears but because of low demand say the airlines.

Air Canada spokeswoman Laura Cooke said the airline has already canceled "most" of its flights from 6 p.m. EST on December 31 to noon EST on January 1. She added that the airline still plans to adjust its schedule if required, but noted the move was made after customers booked fewer flights compared with the same period last year.

Canadian Airlines spokesman Ric Bentkowski said fewer flights would be available on New Year's Eve because of traditionally low "operational demand."

British Airways, Europe's No. 1 airline, said a fall in demand for flights on New Year's Eve has led it to reduce its flights by 64%. The airline said that, because of a decline in passenger bookings for that night, it will have 20 flights in the air at midnight London time on Dec. 31 compared with 55 flights in the air at midnight last New Year's Eve. The company denied the decline in flights had anything to do with people fearing the so-called Year 2000, or millennium bug, computer problem.

The news comes days after American Airlines said it was canceling about 20 percent of its flights on December 31 and about 5 percent of flights January 1 because of the holiday slump. Other U.S.-based airlines, including United Airlines and Continental Airlines Inc., have not announced any plans to cancel flights over the New Year period.

Some airlines such as Virgin Atlantic Airways, Vietnam Airlines, Poland's LOT airlines have already canceled all flights on New Year's Eve.

DATE: 9/21/99

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