Delta Trims Capacity Growth

Delta Air Lines will fly fewer seats this winter than it planned and defer the 2018 delivery of four large aircraft, as extra flights by rivals add capacity to the market.

Delta's fourth quarter flight capacity will now rise by less than 2 percent in the second half of 2016, according to a regulatory filing.

The move should help Delta reach its goal of reversing unit revenue decline before the end of the year.

US airline stocks have fallen in recent months as the companies continued forecasting that unit revenue will drop due to higher capacity and lower fares.

The airline also said it will keep its longer-term expansion in check by deferring the delivery of four Airbus A350s to 2019 or later, from 2018. Delta has 25 A350-900s on order, aimed at replacing its Boeing 747s.

Delta said ticket revenue from corporate customers has fallen 4 percent this year, although corporate passenger volumes are up 2 percent. It said its trans-Pacific capacity will be down 15 percent and its trans-Atlantic capacity will be flat in the winter compared to two years ago.