"The losses will be tremendous," said George Ermakoff, president of Brazil's national airline association.

"I don't think that any American airline is interested at this moment in expanding outside its own territory," Mr. Ermakoff of the Brazilian airline association said.

The airline association said growth in passenger traffic was expected to slow to about 7 percent this year, from 13 percent in 1987, when traffic rebounded from a disastrous 1986.

The airline association estimates that 10 or 20 out of some 115 airlines that fly into the United States already use air marshals.

SMALLER PLANES, LONGER TRIPS - Traffic on regional airlines was up 28.1 percent in the second quarter of 2004, the regional airline association said.

A. Martin Macy, a retired pilot, aviation consultant and executive with regional airline associations in Washington, died on Thursday at his home in Houston, where he had moved last year.

During the 11 days between the request that the opening of the new airport be postponed and Greece's agreement to do so, a war of words erupted between the Greek government and the airline association.

He said the airline association would like to see the airport privatized.

"This is a direct consequence of the war," said James May, president of the airline association.

Ronaldo Jenkins, safety director of the national airline association, calls the balloons "celestial mines" and wants even more rigorous enforcement.