Northwest Airlines said Tuesday that it would stop paying commissions to travel agents for tickets issued in the U.S., Canada, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, effective immediately.
Delta Air Lines began the move last week, and American Airlines and Continental Airlines followed suit Monday.
Airlines are trying to cut ticket-distribution costs and drive customers from travel agents to their Internet sites, where they can issue tickets for pennies.
Ticket distribution is the fourth-largest expense for carriers, after labor, fuel and aircraft, according to the Air Transport Association, the industry’s trade group. Last year, the nation’s airlines lost a combined $7 billion but paid travel agents an estimated $4 billion in commissions.
Since August, the nation’s major airlines have been paying travel agents a maximum of $20 for issuing a ticket.
