Delta raises prices, other carriers match

The latest airline news is enough to give travelers a “case of the Mondays.” Reuters is reporting that Delta’s price hike last Thursday was quickly followed by similar increases from other major U.S. airlines.

Delta bumped up most of its domestic fares by $5 each way, and it seems the competition couldn’t resist jumping on the bandwagon. Continental, JetBlue, Northwest, and US Airways all matched the Atlanta-based carrier’s increase. This latest price jump comes shortly after Southwest began hitting up its passengers for an additional $10 each way, spurring other carriers to do the same.

A Delta representative attributed the rising prices to “increasing cost pressures on our business, including fuel.”

Whatever the reason, it seems the airlines are no longer shy about passing their financial troubles to the wallets of their passengers.

I guess it’s some consolation that this latest price hike doesn’t apply to the Southwest routes airlines raised fares on last week, but it’s hard to find a silver lining here.