When the economy is weaker, carriers may reduce service.
A Starwood spokeswoman said the company was letting some of its properties reduce service levels.
That would reduce service to many smaller cities and could eliminate flights to some markets altogether.
The M.T.A. has voted to sharply raise fares and reduce service.
"If the airlines have to reduce service," he said, "the idea would be to downsize in a coordinated way".
That in turn would reduce service and competition in many smaller cities, as well as raising fares for consumers.
The company said it would not reduce service to the more than 1,000 small communities it now serves.
Canada 3000, which represents 10percentt of Canada's fleet, with flights to Europe and the United States -- including Newark Airport -- said it had no plans to reduce service.
In turn, Long Island Bus, which had a budget of $84 million last year, said it would have to reduce service by nearly half.
But it warned that it might have to reduce service soon as anxiety over possible war in Iraq depresses passenger loads.
Officials worry that the airline may increase costs or reduce service, which would most hurt the smaller islands that do not have a national carrier or other partners.
