Heads Up: United Slaps a Fare-Hike In

We're all paying attention to the merger news. What a great time to slip in another fare hike/fuel surcharge.

Rick Seaney at FareCompare.com is, as usual, is on alert. His e-mail last night:

""Merger Day Surprise: United Airlines Raises Fuel Surcharges another $20 Roundtrip

Tuesday, April 15, 2008 11:15pm CDT

With oil hitting a new high today of $114 a barrel and consumers beginning to absorb the ramifications of the pending creation of the world’s largest airline – one would think commercial aviation would have nothing else to “give” on this crazy tax day – sadly, one would be wrong …

Tonight after a frenetic day where nearly 4,000 articles were written on the Delta-Northwest merger (according to Google News) -- United Airlines is attempting to increase airline ticket prices for the 12^th time this year by adding an additional $10 to $20 roundtrip fuel surcharge on the bulk of its route system for both leisure and business travelers – leaving only the cheapest promotional airfares flown by fewest travelers with no increase.

Earlier today I predicted two or three airfare increases in the next 8 weeks, but I may have to revise that as I didn’t expect another for a few weeks after last weeks attempt to raise base airfare prices from $4-30 (also initiated by United Airlines) was widely successful – making it the 7^th successful increase this year in 11 attempts.

I am now updating our running 2008 airfare hike timeline as follows:

1. ---January 3^rd, initiated by United, $10 roundtrip, successful (sticky)

2. ---January 11^th, initiated by United, $30 roundtrip, unsuccessful

3. ---January 17^th, initiated by American, $20 roundtrip, unsuccessful

4. ---January 24^th, initiated by Continental, $20 roundtrip, successful (sticky)

5. ---February 22^nd, initiated by United, $10 roundtrip, successful (sticky)

6. ---February 28^th, initiated by Delta, $10 roundtrip, successful (sticky)

7. ---March 7^th, initiated by United, $10 roundtrip, successful (sticky)

8. ---March 14^th, initiated by United, $4-$50 roundtrip, successful (sticky)

9. ---March 19^th, initiated by Delta, $10 roundtrip, unsuccessful

10. ---March 27^th, initiated by Delta, $10 roundtrip, unsuccessful

11. ---April 9^th, initiated by United, $4-$30 roundtrip, successful (sticky)

12. ---April 15^th, initiated by United, $10-$20 roundtrip, pending"""

Rick continues:

"At this point all I can say after this exhausting day is – ouch! – Consumers who haven’t heeded my advice about locking in summer travel plans, should do so as quickly as possible. My gut tells me that this attempt may not make it, as the last early week fuel surcharge increase attempt by Delta was scuttled (increases historically are started late Thursday evening) – but I cannot rule out the possibility of major matching in the next 5 days.

I will update on any significant activity in the coming days – in the mean time for those that didn’t get enough on the merger -- you checkout my consumer oriented thoughts on the topic in my weekly ABCNews.com column."

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