Despite falling ridership, the hourly flights continue to make money, seemingly immune from ruinous fare wars.

Mr. Nelson said the shuttle's pattern of hourly flights made it different from the airline's other operations.

Other connections to Durban are made through Johannesburg on almost hourly flights by South African Airways.

On Oct. 1, it will begin hourly flights between La Guardia and Washington.

Starting on Sunday, the Trump Shuttle will cancel six of its hourly flights on weekends because they do not generate enough traffic to cover the costs.

Instead, he said, travelers can take hourly flights on Continental from Boston to Newark.

The hourly flights, which last less than 10 minutes, cost $139 each way.

People in their rush to catch their hourly flights to New York City stopped to look.

He added that two hourly flights on Sunday morning would also be canceled.

Some of them offer much greater frequency, including hourly flights to Chicago, as well as strong frequent-flier programs and newer airplanes.