Skift Take
Experts say this is the most consumer friendly DOT to date, but its efforts to increase fare transparency won’t stop the industry from looking for little ways to boost their bottom line at the cost of their passengers.
Well, that didn’t take long. Just four days into the new year, United Airlines and its Star Alliance partner Air Canada have launched the first attempted airfare increase of 2013.
The carriers are attempting to hike more than 1 million fares across their system, reports Rick Seaney, airfare analyst and CEO of FareCompare.com. The increase is between $2 and $5 each way.
There were seven attempted domestic airfare hikes in 2012 and that number will likely grow slightly this year, which should raise ticket prices about 7 percent or so, Seaney said.
The Daily Newsletter
Our daily coverage of the global travel industry. Written by editors and analysts from across Skift’s brands.
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Tags: airfares, ancillary services, united airlines
Photo credit: A plane heads towards Chicago O'hare Airport. Michael Miley / Flickr