Delta, US Airways to give some of slots they were to swap to 4 other carriers

Delta, US Airways alter slot swap deal

ATLANTA — Delta Air lines and US Airways are tossing a bone to the Department of Transportation in their effort to swap takeoff and landing slots at airports in New York and Washington.

They have agreed to give 12 percent of the slots they wanted to exchange with each other to four other airlines to help preserve competition.

The government said last month that Delta and US Airways could swap slots at the two airports, but they would have to sell some.

Delta and US Airways are challenging that requirement. They say they will not go forward with the swap if the original transaction, as modified Monday, is not approved.

A slot is an interval of time during which an airline can takeoff or land its aircraft at an airport.