On Wednesday Delta Air Lines said it added another $10 to US domestic round-trip fares to offset rising jet fuel prices. A spokeswoman for Delta said the $10 is an increase to the fuel surcharge.
The increase comes on the heels of one last week, when major carriers, including Delta, increased
their fuel surcharges by up to $50 round-trip. The increase reflects the pain that airlines are feeling as jet fuel prices, which rise with the price of oil, soar to record levels, and the US economy weakens. A barrel of crude touched a record high of $111.80 on Monday.
On Tuesday, Delta unveiled plans to cut 2,000 jobs and scale back flights as it led efforts by US carriers to cut costs. Delta, which has been unable to seal a merger with rival Northwest Airlines, will offer voluntary retirement and buyout packages to 30,000 employees. It is aiming to cut 1,300 rank-and-file jobs and 700 administrative and management jobs, or more than 3 percent of its work force overall.
