Us airlines raise prices as fuel costs soar

Several U.S. carriers — including American, Delta and US Airways— bumped up many domestic fares by $10 a round trip this week, the sixth widespread increase this year, says Rick Seaney of FareCompare.com, which tracks ticket prices.

Meanwhile, most U.S. airlines raised to $400 the fuel surcharge on round-trip tickets to Paris, Frankfurt and many other European cities, up from $360, says Tom Parsons of BestFares.com, which also monitors fares. With the price of jet fuel continuing to rise as oil has surpassed $100 a barrel, the fast and furious fare changes and surcharges are likely to keep coming.

"I expect even if fuel stays right where it's at or even drops, the airlines will continually hit us with $5 and $10 fare hikes, probably up until the summer months," says Parsons, who suspects fuel surcharges will inch up as well. Most of the airlines' fare increases this year have stuck. However, carriers rolled some back when competitors didn't follow.

Source: USA Today