11.   But he said those markets offered opportunities for niche carriers or discount airlines.

12.   But new fare-cutting competition has begun to arrive in the East, led by Southwest Airlines, the biggest and most successful discount airline.

13.   But some fear deregulation could unleash the nuclear equivalent of ValuJet, the discount airline grounded for maintenance deficiencies after a fatal crash in the Florida Everglades last May.

14.   But with passengers and lawmakers complaining that the merger has created a monopoly, the government is encouraging discount airlines.

15.   Competition increased in the last year with the startup of two new Western Canada discount airlines, WestJet Airlines and Greyhound Air.

16.   Delta launches its own discount airline this week.

17.   Delta Air Lines is three weeks away from inaugurating a low-fare, discount airline, serving the same routes ValuJet once dominated.

18.   Delta and AirTran Airways, the discount airline based in Orlando and operating an Atlanta hub, are slowly rebuilding their schedules after a two-day standstill.

19.   Discount airlines such as AirTran Airways, the Orlando carrier with an Atlanta hub, do better because their low fares attract travelers with slimmer budgets.

20.   Discount airlines are beginning to elbow their way into La Guardia Airport in New York, long a bastion of the business traveler paying top-dollar fares.