Alaska Airlines cuts business fares.

• Position: Transportation - Brief Article

Alaska Airlines is slashing its highest fares by nearly 50 percent in a variety of markets as part of a test to see if a simplified fare structure will lure business travelers back to the skies.

"We're going to test the theory that the convoluted nature of airline pricing is a major deterrent to flying," said Gregg Saretsky executive vice president of marketing and planning. "This will provide the best value to our customers and at the same time simplify the fare structure."

Presently, business fares that require little or no advance purchase or minimum stay have been reduced by hundreds of dollars on routes...