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Business Today

By wire services
Published May 28, 2005

SPRINT SEEKS SURCHARGE: Sprint Corp. has filed a request with the Florida Public Service Commission seeking permission to add a surcharge to customer bills to cover a portion of the $148-million in costs it incurred to fix damage caused by last year's hurricanes. In an unusual settlement announced Friday by the state Office of Public Counsel, which is opposed to the request, Sprint agreed to limit the hurricane-recovery costs it is seeking to $30-million, which would amount to a surcharge of 93 cents a month on customer bills for two years. Sprint provides local phone service to Citrus County and parts of Pasco and Hernando counties.

TAMPA PORT OFFICIAL RESIGNS: Gina Rathbun, the Tampa Port Authority's cruise marketing director since 1998, resigned Friday to work for a real estate developer. Rathbun will be a sales liaison for Bella Vista Group of Tampa, which has built waterfront condominium projects, including the Tides Beach Club in North Redington Beach.

NORTHWEST CUTS PRETZELS: If Northwest Airlines passengers want a snack, they better bring it themselves. In another cost-cutting move by a struggling airline, Northwest said it would stop serving pretzels to coach customers starting June 9. The airline will sell a 3-ounce bag of trail mix for $1. Northwest has no immediate plans to charge for soft drinks, said spokesman Kurt Ebenhoch. The airline, which lost $458-million in the first quarter of 2005, will save $2-million annually by cutting out the free pretzels, he said.

[Last modified May 28, 2005, 00:26:19]