AIRLINES

USAir Leases Slots From Northwest: USAir Group Inc. has leased 28 takeoff and landing slots at Washington National Airport from Northwest Airlines, which decided to scale back its East Coast expansion. USAir will use the slots to offer new and expanded service between Washington and Miami, Ft. Lauderdale and West Palm Beach, Fla.; Cleveland and New Orleans. The move is part of USAir’s plans to grow on the East Coast that also include a greater presence in New York and two London routes, out of Baltimore and Philadelphia, acquired from Trans World Airlines. Northwest obtained the slots at an Eastern Airlines liquidation auction last year.