The U.S. Department of Transportation denied requests by several airlines to cut services without losing rights to serve the affected routes

. Alaska, American, Continental, Delta, Northwest, United and US Airways in June told DOT that "in these perilous times, airlines should not be required to operate flights that are uneconomic during periods of low demand to preserve their long-term investments in operating rights in limited-entry markets and neither the carriers nor the department should be burdened with processing numerous applications for specific waivers when they have far more important tasks before them." In denying the "temporary blanket waiver of all dormancy conditions," DOT noted that market characteristics vary from route to route and the public interest would be better served by reviewing dormancy waiver requests on "an individual basis."