The airlines are at the gate again.
And they’re off! Delta takes the lead. The 15th running of the domestic airlines fare hike is underway.
This update is from Rick Seaney at FareCompare.com:
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By Rick Seaney
This evening Delta Air Lines initiated the 15th attempted domestic airfare increase of 2008 by upping fuel charges an additional $20 roundtrip across the bulk of its route system.
The new total fuel surcharge on numerous Delta city pairs is now up to a record $130 roundtrip ($65 one-way) — oddly enough the total of this fuel surcharge increase combined with taxes and fees is now larger than the actual base airfare on several short haul domestic flights.
With a backdrop of a slowing economy, I continue to look for a tipping point where domestic air travelers begin to significantly push back on record high airline ticket prices. At best the jury is still out on whether we are seeing the first signs of push back, what is abundantly clear however is that legacy airlines are willing to cut back even more capacity as we near this point.
I had predicted at least 2 more increases in May and nothing has changed recently changed to alter this opinion – the torrid pace of airfare increases puts us on track for just shy of 40 increase attempts this year (compared to 23 last year) – while this total is unlikely, it is not inconceivable if oil cracks the $150 barrier and beyond. In related airfare increase news tonight — United Airlines increased airline ticket prices between the U.S and Canada by $86 to $129 roundtrip.
I have updated our 2008 domestic airfare hike timeline as follows:
—1. January 3rd, initiated by United, $10 roundtrip, base airfare hike, successful-
—2. January 11th, initiated by United, $30 roundtrip, fuel surcharge hike, unsuccessful
—3. January 17th, initiated by American, $20 roundtrip, fuel surcharge hike, unsuccessful
—4. January 24th, initiated by Continental, $20 roundtrip, fuel surcharge hike, successful
—5. February 22nd, initiated by United, $10 roundtrip, base airfare hike, successful
—6 . February 28th, initiated by Delta, $10 roundtrip, base airfare hike, successful
—7. March 7th, initiated by United, $10 roundtrip, fuel surcharge hike, successful
—8. March 14th, initiated by United, $4-$50 roundtrip, base airfare hike, successful
—9. March 19th, initiated by Delta, $10 roundtrip, fuel surcharge hike, unsuccessful
—10. March 27th, initiated by Delta, $10 roundtrip, fuel surcharge hike, unsuccessful
—11. April 9th, initiated by United, $4-$30 roundtrip, base airfare hike, successful
—12. April 15th, initiated by United, $10-$20 roundtrip, fuel surcharge hike, successful
—13. April 24th, initiated by United, $4-$70 roundtrip, base airfare hike, successful
—14. April 28th, initiated by Delta, $10 and $40 roundtrip, fuel surcharge hike, successful
—15. May 7th, initiated by Delta, $20 roundtrip, fuel surcharge hike, pending
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