North America scheduled commercial air capacity this month will be at the "lowest August level for 10 years,"

according to schedule data provider OAG. Year to date, the region's flights and seat capacity are down 2 percent and 1 percent, respectively, the firm added. OAG director of analytics Rob Shaw cited a slow economy, recent airline mergers and "the strategy of individual carriers in a tough trading environment: reducing capacity to maintain fares at a profitable level." Worldwide, OAG said August 2012 flights and seat capacity are up 1 percent and 3 percent, respectively.