Airlines reported sharp declines in passenger traffic for September. Hotel occupancy rates are down, and corporate travel managers are demanding new concessions on previously negotiated deals. Cancellations are starting to rise even at four- and five-star hotels, which previously seemed immune to the economy’s travails.

Months ago, the nation’s airlines, which are grounding some of their older jets, announced plans to cut 8 to 10 percent of their domestic flights after Labor Day, so traffic was expected to be down. At the same time, the airlines planned to raise fares on their remaining flights.

But passenger traffic is down beyond the cuts already planned. To be sure, fall is usually a slower season for air travel than spring and summer. Until the holiday season begins at Thanksgiving, flights are dominated by business travelers. So the slower traffic reflects the impact the business crisis is having on the airlines. In September, the top seven airlines averaged a 9.47 drop in domestic passenger miles traveled compared with September 2007. Domestically and internationally, the major airlines carried 9.2 percent fewer passengers than in September 2007.

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