So far, the major airlines' strategy of cutting ticket prices on routes where they compete head to head with low-fare rivals has failed.

These efforts are in addition to the subsidiaries that some of the major traditional airlines have started to compete with low-fare rivals.

Each hopes to make its operations more like their low-fare rivals.

He said that the contract retained work rules that keep Delta Express competitive with low-fare rivals.

Continental and its rivals tried several times this winter to raise ticket prices, only to rescind the increases when low-fare rivals refused to go along.

That philosophy wins applause from one of Mr. Tague's low-fare rivals.

Delta controls more than 90 percent of the flights there, but more than 2,500 passengers a day defected to nearby airports served by low-fare rivals.

Their service is in addition to flights by numerous big airlines, especially American, which have been forced to cut prices to keep pace with their low-fare rivals.

Southwest, like its low-fare rivals, charges no more than $299 each way to any destination, or a top price of $598 round trip.

That matched the cap that Frontier, a low-fare rival based in Denver, placed on its fares.