Memphis Airport Authority Defends Itself Against High Fare Complaints

(Memphis) The more traffic through Memphis International, the better for the city’s economy.

But Delta has slashed its services out of the Bluff City and fewer people are flying through ‘America’s Aerotropolis.’

The result, we are told is higher prices.

“A thousand dollars to Memphis is outrageous!” exclaimed a concerned citizen at a public forum held by the Greater Memphis Chamber of Commerce.

A panel of airline industry experts met Thursday to explain why flights out of Memphis are so expensive, after outrage from passengers.

Airport Authority Chairman Arnold Perl says the prices are going up because of high fuel prices.

Plus, he says airlines were charging too little and consumers were spoiled by the low cost, “We can’t deal with cycles we deal with trends and the trends are a transformation in the industry, a transformation at this airport, and we`re going to be OK.”

Perl says the answer is competition for Delta, which dominates the airport with its hub.

Untied has already increased competition with three additional flights a day to D.C, and Southwest will add more when they eventually come sometime next year.

Congressman Steve Cohen has asked the US Attorney General to step in and says he disagrees with the panel saying Delta does not have a monopoly at Memphis International, “I disagree with the legal opinion of these non-attorneys that nothing can be done on an antitrust basis that we’ve got such competition. Anti-competitive practices are a basis for justice department action.”