'Ten HUT! Southwest Also Raises Fares

"JoeSharkeyAtLarge.com ... The blog that proudly wears a patriotic American flag pin so you won't have to."

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As somebody who actually went to Vietnam, I always thought those flag-lapel pins were fashion statements by guys my age who 1. Supported that war and still have fantasies of being warriors and 2. Nevertheless managed to dodge the draft and avoid service in Vietnam.

That would account for the omnipresent flag-lapel pins on the likes of George Bush and Dick "Five Deferrals: I Had Other Priorities" Cheney, as well as various other chicken hawks such as Rudy Giuliani, Trent Lott, Newt Gingrich ... well, you know, the list goes on and on. Have you even noticed the relish with which these guys return snappy military salutes? What fun to play soldier! Let's ask our men and women in Iraq how much fun actually being one is!

Anyway, the debate questions have now made it clear that the patriotism of all Men is subject to evaluation if they do not stick one of those I'm-an-American-dammit pins in their lapels.

And this blog is patriotic, dammit.

'Ten-HUT:

I almost forgot to mention this in my fervor to prove that I am a patriot. Southwest Airlines is now joining in the fare-hike fandango.

Here's a new note from Rick Seaney at FareCompare.com

By the way, I cannot actually see Mr. Seaney, and so an unable to verify whether he is wearing his flag pin. We will take his compliance on faith. For now.

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"Southwest Airlines does not publicly file their airfare information and we normally track their changes by watching their competitor’s reaction – this has presented a problem for us because of the pace of weekly increases and the daily matching activity.

After several inquiries from analysts and reporters -- we felt it was important to provide some information on the airfare increase matching activity of Southwest - the largest domestic airline. Legacy airlines routinely “tip-toe” around competitive Southwest markets when it comes to increases – both base airfare and fuel surcharges, and also are wary of increasing the cheapest promotional airfares in which Southwest has little or no fuel surcharge.

To this end -- Southwest spokesperson Marilee McInnis provided us with the following statement regarding their matching activity related to the wave of legacy airline increases this year:

'On April 10, we followed an increase by United with a very modest, mileage-based increase from $2 each way for short haul, $4 each way for medium haul, and $6 each way for long haul.

'Last night, we instituted a fare increase that takes effect June 13 and it ranges from $3 - $5 one-way for short haul; $8 one-way for medium haul, and $10 one-way for long haul.

'Southwest is built for efficiency and we have hedges in place, but no airline is immune to astronomical $115/barrel oil. With the volatile nature of jet fuel prices, we are taking these modest fare increases at a time when our fleet will be in its peak consumption of jet fuel during the busy summer travel season.'"

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Dis - MISSED!

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