Day 6: Competitors benefit, slightly

08/25/2005

Associated Press
August 25, 2005

The strike by Northwest Airlines mechanics is in its sixth day, and several of the airline’s competitors are reporting a small increase in business.

But during a time when air travel overall is on the upswing, none of the competing airlines are expecting a lot of extra business—at least in the short term.

A spokeswoman for Sun Country Airlines said the Mendota Heights-based carrier has seen an increase of around ten to 15 percent.

United Airlines also reported a small but not statistically significant bump since Northwest mechanics went on strike Saturday. American Airlines also was seeing heavier bookings, but a company official said it doesn’t know if it’s a result of the strike.

So far, Northwest reports only minimal flight cancellations. Reports have varied as to the extent of delays. No talks are scheduled.