19th Airfare Hike Attempt of 2011
UPDATE Nov. 4, Noon CDT: Earlier today, Delta bailed out, followed by US Airways. We are therefore branding this latest airfare hike attempt, a failure.
UPDATE Nov. 3, 10am CDT: Delta just matched the price hike on walk-up airfares for its routes that overlap US Airways’.
EARLIER: Late last night, US Airways initiated a new airfare hike across the bulk of its U.S. route system, raising ticket prices by $4 to $10 round-trip but only on the airline’s walk-up fares; these are tickets purchased with zero advance notice.
See tips to find cheap flights despite the latest airfare hikes
3rdAirfare Hike Attempt in Just Over 2 Weeks
The is the third time airlines have launched an airfare hike attempt in the past 15 days (and see our chart with a complete list of 2011 airfare hikes at the end):
- Oct. 18: Delta hikes fares - other airlines match prices and hike is considered a “success”
- Oct. 24: United/Continental hikes fares - hike falls apart and is considered a “failure”
- Nov. 2: US Airways hikes fares – outcome unknown at this time
Wake Up Call for Procrastinating Holiday Airfare Shoppers
This latest and 19th hike attempt of the year should serve as a wake-up call for procrastinating holiday shoppers. As I’ve reported before, holiday airfare prices keep rising. The airlines, meanwhile, appear adamant about lifting prices which is a sure sign that demand is favorable despite the tough economic climate.
We will have further details on this latest hike, as the day progresses. Watch this space for updates on whether competing airlines either match the new prices or decline to participate.
