
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: FRIDAY, March 18, 1994                   TAG: 9403180261
SECTION: BUSINESS                    PAGE: B-5   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: NEW YORK                                LENGTH: Short

THE REBATE'S NOT IN THE MAIL - YET

So where are those coupon rebates promised last year in a settlement of a price-fixing lawsuit with major airlines?

The coupons may start going out in June, said Diane Nast, lead attorney for passengers who filed the class-action lawsuit. On Thursday, the airlines settled a U.S. Justice Department lawsuit on the same issue.

More than 4 million claims have been filed and virtually all will result in an award, she said. The claimants are splitting the $458 million the major airlines contributed to a pool for the settlement. While the average award works out to about $115, many claimants will receive substantially less.

Big companies with legions of business travelers are receiving large amounts while those who traveled occasionally during the 3-year period covered by the lawsuit will get smaller awards.

Those who qualified for an award had to file their claim by last June and should have received a postcard acknowledging the claim in September.

The coupons can be redeemed on tickets bought through travel agents.

by CNB