2 More Airlines Announce Fare Increases

UAL Corp.’s United Airlines, the world’s largest carrier, and Continental Airlines Inc. raised leisure and business fares 3%, matching a move started by AMR Corp.’s American Airlines in response to higher fuel costs. United and Continental, the fifth-largest U.S. carrier, boosted fares late Tuesday. American raised prices Monday and was quickly joined by Delta Air Lines Inc. Crude oil prices have more than doubled since Jan. 1, reaching a nine-year high Monday as Iraq halted exports to protest United Nations sanctions. Four of the eight largest U.S. airlines have yet to match the higher fares, a move needed to make the increase stick, and may wait until the end of the weekend to determine if demand in the year’s busiest travel season will support it, analysts said. The increase would mean the industry has raised fares 17% to 22% this year, depending on the route, said Tom Parsons, editor of Internet site Bestfares.com.