American Airlines boosts fuel surcharge

DALLAS – American Airlines raised its fuel surcharge to $150 per round trip, a $20 increase, on many routes Wednesday, just days after it failed in another attempt to raise fares.

Tim Wagner, a spokesman for American, said the surcharge applied on domestic routes except those where the carrier competes with low-fare airlines.

Delta Air Lines Inc. raised some fares by $20, according to travel Web site FareCompare.com, but a Delta spokeswoman said the airline had not matched American’s broad increase by Wednesday afternoon.

Airlines were expected to file updated fares Wednesday evening.

Airlines are facing record prices for jet fuel, which has nearly doubled in price in the past year. They have attempted about 19 fare increases this year, but many – like American’s increase late last week – failed because some carriers declined to match them.

Airlines are also raising other fees. Next week, American will begin charging $15 for passengers to check a single bag. Most carriers already charge $25 for checking a second piece of luggage, and they impose fees for other services, ranging from changing tickets to toting pets on board.

American is a unit of Fort Worth-based AMR Corp., which lost $328 million in the first quarter, when its fuel expense jumped 45 percent, or $665 million more than a year earlier, wiping out an increase in revenue.

AMR shares fell 64 cents, or 9.5 percent, to $6.09.