Business

American, United add $10 surcharge on 3 busy days

Posted September 24, 2009 11:00 pm

Associated Press

MINNEAPOLIS -- American and United airlines this week have added $10 surcharges for most of their tickets for travel on three busy days around Thanksgiving and New Year's holidays.

According to FareCompare.com, both carriers added the charge -- technically, a fuel surcharge -- for most of their fares for travel on Nov. 29, the Sunday after Thanksgiving, as well as Jan. 2 and 3.

FareCompare noted that the Sunday after Thanksgiving is one of the busiest travel days of the year, and that the two dates in January are heavily traveled as well.

Rick Seaney of FareCompare.com said the airlines probably added the charge because it was a quick, targeted way to charge more on busy travel days.

"The bottom line this year for consumers is that it's pretty clear that if you procrastinate on your holiday travel, you're going to get stung," he said.

American added the charge on Wednesday and United matched on Thursday.

Shares of American parent AMR Corp. rose 36 cents, or 4.7 percent, to $8.10 in morning trading. United parent UAL Corp. added 64 cents, or 7.3 percent, at $9.47.

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