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US Airlines' Average Fuel Price Falls 1% In Sept From August

DOW JONES NEWSWIRES

U.S. airlines' average fuel cost per gallon for scheduled flights fell 41% in September from a year ago and 1% from August, according to the Department of Transportation.

The DOT's Bureau of Transportation Statistics said airlines spent $2 on a gallon of fuel on scheduled flights in September, down from $3.41 a year earlier and from $2.02 the prior month.

The agency also said total fuel consumption was 1.28 billion gallons in September, down 6.7% from a year earlier and 10% from the previous month. The drops are as carriers continue to cut back capacity in the face of weak demand.

The average fuel price for international service rose 1.5% from a month earlier, while it fell 1.5% for domestic service.

The recession is continuing to take a toll on U.S. airlines, though third- quarter results indicated demand may have bottomed. Airlines have been sharply reducing capacity to meet demand depressed by the downturn.

- By Joan E. Solsman, Dow Jones Newswires; 212-416-2291; joan.solsman@ dowjones.com

  (END) Dow Jones Newswires
  11-10-091200ET
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