Delta, US Airways swapping slots

ATLANTA (AP) - Delta Air Lines and US Airways are swapping takeoff and landing slots at airports in New York and Washington, amid similar moves by AirTran Airways and Continental Airlines.

A Delta executive says in a memo to employees Wednesday that Delta will exchange some of its flying rights at Washington's Reagan National Airport for US Airways' rights at New York's LaGuardia Airport.

The transition will add 11 gates to Delta's LaGuardia operations.

AirTran, meanwhile, plans to stop flying to and from Newark, N.J., and will give its takeoff and landing slots there to Continental Airlines in exchange for Continental slots at LaGuardia and National airports, where AirTran faces increased competition from Southwest Airlines.