Some of the fare increases, especially for leisure fares, are predictable after last summer's unprecedented and money-losing half-price sale, which began in early June.

Looking forward to the possible huge increase in price, he added, only partly tongue-in-cheek, "It looks like we're going to have a half-price sale this weekend."

A half-price sale at the Paris Ritz?

Every year he has a half-price sale in which everything is 60 pence.

At issue was the "value pricing" plan that American introduced last spring, followed by a half-price sale on many summer fares.

Many stocked up on marzipan during Kramer's half-price sale on the store's last day.

But the half-price sale introduced in late May was the kiss of death, he said.

A store in Atlanta was having a half-price sale on Rainbow 100's.

CHRISTMAS is more than three weeks off, but the half-price sale is already going on.

"Look at this, a half-price sale," an auctioneer said.