Air travelers are facing a significant increase in fuel-related fees as airlines struggle to cover the skyrocketing costs of jet fuel.
Airlines are raising fares, adding baggage fees, and dialing back routes to offset the rising costs, which have more than doubled in the last three weeks.
JetBlue Airways has started charging more for bags, with some routes costing $49, up from $40, and United Airlines Holdings' CEO Scott Kirby has warned that fares could shoot up as much as 20% due to war-related shortages of fuel.
United has also trimmed the number of flights for the summer months, and other airlines are considering pulling flights that don't generate enough revenue to offset fuel burn.
Federal regulations bar airlines from retroactively charging customers a new or increased fuel surcharge once they have already paid for their flight.
Low-cost carriers like Spirit Airlines and Frontier Airlines are especially vulnerable to the rising fuel costs, which could lead to higher fares for travelers.
