Air France Had ’Vigorous’ Debate With Delta Over Seat Cuts

Air France-KLM Group said it held a “vigorous” debate with SkyTeam ally Delta Air Lines Inc. over capacity before the pair agreed to slash seats in their trans-Atlantic venture as much as 9 percent for the northern winter.

The shift, also involving Italy’s Alitalia SpA, will entail fewer frequencies and a redeployment of the fleet to cope with rising fuel costs and fluctuating demand, with some planes sent to warmer destinations where winter demand is stronger, the companies said today. The carriers jointly operate 260 daily flights with 144 planes, generating $11 billion in annual sales.