4 Million Fliers File Against Airlines : Travel: Settlement in the price-fixing suit would provide ticket discounts, but appeals are pending.

ATLANTA — More than 4.1 million claims have been filed by ticket buyers as part of a $458-million settlement of a price-fixing suit against the nation’s biggest airlines.

Despite the big load and two challenges filed in federal court, the settlement schedule is on track, according to the architects of the settlement. Discount coupons for future air travel are expected to be distributed by the middle of next year.

The deadline for filing claims for discount coupons was June 1. About 2.6 million were submitted while the settlement was being considered by U.S. District Judge Marvin H. Shoob in Atlanta. Another 1.5 million were filed after he approved it on March 22.

The claims represented about 40% of the number of people eligible for the coupons, Carr said.

Martin Rudolph, the court-appointed claims administrator who is running the processing operation in Thorofare, N.J., refused to comment on a specific timetable for distributing the coupons.

The discounts were available to anyone who bought tickets on the defendant airlines from Jan. 1, 1988, to June 30, 1992, for travel through 34 domestic hubs.

The airlines denied wrongdoing but said they settled to avoid a costly trial. The airlines named in the suit were American, Continental, Delta, Midway, Northwest, Pan American, Trans World, United and USAir.

Although Pan Am and Midway have gone out of business, people who bought tickets from them can use the coupons on the other carriers.