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Show Lower air fares to Colorado cause concern among merchants vance, a round trip from LA. to Denver on Western Airlines costs $149. The same package to Salt Lake City is $229. A Western Airlines spokesman, Joan Bailey, defended each of the five fare increases that Western and most of the major airlines have implemented since April of 1983. Bailey noted that while the airlines cut ticket prices substantially following the forced deregulation of the industry, they soon found it necessary to boost rates to remain solvent. And while I 7 Western and most of the major airlines have now restructured rates on a mileage basis, she said, Continental Airlines is substantially sub-stantially undercutting most other airlines since its bankrupcy and subsequent reorganization last fall. Continental does not fly directly from LA. to Salt Lake City, she said, but does fly non-stop from LA. to Denver. Conversely, she added, Western does not fly non-stop from LA. to Denver but does fly non-stop from LA. to Salt Lake International. by Christopher Smart Main Street merchants are concerned that recent air lu. e hikes and airline rate restructuring restruc-turing could favor Colorado ski resorts over Park City. At a meeting last week of the Historic Main Street Association, local merchants discussed the trend that makes flights on Western Airlines from Los Angeles to Denver less expensive than those from LA. to Salt Lake International Airport. And although most of the Park City merchants present at the meeting expressed alarm, one member of the organization, Bill Coleman, said that Western, the airline with most direct flights from However, Debby Sy-monds, Sy-monds, the executive director direc-tor of Park City's Chamber of Commerce Convention and Visitors Bureau, maintains that tourists are not complaining com-plaining about recent air fare hikes. Symonds said that while flights from LA. to Denver may be some $80 or $90 less than flights from LA. to Salt Lake City, the rate changes have had virtually no effect on Park City's ski industry. She explained that Western's West-ern's advanced purchase fares were still very reasonable reason-able and that since Western had made Salt Lake City its center of operations in 1981, the airline has spent some $1 large metropolitan areas to Salt Lake City, had helped Park City a great deal. Coleman explained that since Western had made Salt Lake City its hub two years ago, the ski industry had in Park City enjoyed substantial increases. And while Western's West-ern's fares may be higher now, he said, "You can't look a gift horse in the mouth." But Bonnie Deffebach, representing Park Place International Gallery, called the $400 round trip figure from LA. to Salt Lake City "ridiculous." She added that although less expensive rates are available through advanced ad-vanced purchase or through "ski packages," the new rates were unfavorable to those who didn't buy tickets far in advance of a ski trip. million promoting Utah. Since then, Park City's ski business has increased 15 to 20 percent, she said. However, Symonds conceded that commuters aren't happy with the rate hikes. Travel agent Carolyn Meyer of Globe Travel in Park City confirmed the figures that have led to the merchants' concerns. Meyer said that this season a "coach" flight, one that is not purchased before the day of the flight, is $200 for a one-way ticket from LA. to Salt Lake City on Western Airlines when last year the trip was possible under the same conditions for $95. This year, Meyer said, using a "super saver" ticket purchased 14 days in ad- |