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U.S.-Europe airfares make April in Paris affordable

CHICAGO (Reuters) -- If you love Paris in the springtime, chances are you can find an inexpensive airfare to get you there.

Fares between the United States and Europe have fallen to historically low levels in part because airlines have been diverting planes from the financially troubled Asian market to Europe.

"The yield picture in Asia has been unfavorable for some time and that's causing a displacement in aircraft that would normally fly Pacific routes," said Michael Stellwag, airline analyst at Warburg Dillon Read. Yield is the average revenue received per passenger mile flown.

According to Steve Loucks, a spokesman for Carlson Leisure Group, parent of the second largest U.S. travel agency, fares from other airlines include Washington, D.C. to Paris for $242 round-trip, $26 less than a round-trip ticket from Washington, D.C. to Seattle, Washington.

Loucks said most airlines flying thoseEuropean routes are offering competitive fares.

The fares carry various restrictions, including advance purchase requirements and travel date restrictions.

Loucks also noted that only a limited number of seats are available at those fares. Also, spring is not the peak season for Europe and prices could be higher for summer travel.

While the low fares are a boon to travelers, they may weigh on airline profits because the lower fares could be a sign of what some analysts see as overcapacity to Europe.

When British Airways reported a rare quarterly loss last month, Chief Executive Robert Ayling blamed overcapacity.

But the overcapacity is not proving a deterrent for some U.S. airlines to add more flights to Europe.

"The transatlantic market for us still is profitable," said Doug Killian, a spokesman for St. Paul-based Northwest Airlines. "It's a much different situation for us than Asia."

Reuters Limited.