1.   Although it is the busiest air-travel market in the United States, passengers have had few choices for travel on discount airlines.

2.   And touching on a local issue of great interest, Schumer said he would urge discount airlines to open new routes to upstate communities.

3.   Atlanta-based Valujet and other discount airlines are held to the same safety standards as older, national carriers, he added.

4.   Birmingham is the closest airport to Atlanta served by the discount airline.

5.   AirTran, a discount airline based in Orlando and operating an Atlanta hub, is somewhat insulated from the current economic downturn hurting major airlines.

6.   AirTran, based in Orlando and operating an Atlanta hub, is on a short roster of profitable discount airlines.

7.   AirTran, the Orlando discount airline operating an Atlanta hub, is waiving penalties and refunding fares indefinitely, spokesman Jim Brown said.

8.   But a group of investors, including George Soros, filed in February to start a discount airline that would use Kennedy International Airport as a hub.

9.   But analysts said Delta likely spilled some passengers to the discount airline.

10.   But giving the rails competition are the new open skies of Europe, with new discount airlines providing competitive service between nations.