Higher airline ticket prices are often linked to demand and rising cost of jet fuel. With the price of fuel skyrocketing to around $175 US a barrel in response to the war in Iran, at least one major airline, United Airlines, is already cutting flights. It’s a move that many experts say could push fares even higher. At the Ottawa International Airport on Sunday, travellers are reporting mixed experiences. Many are still flying, even as industry costs rise. Thom Erdle, flying home to Fredericton, booked his trip a couple of weeks ago using points for most of it, but says it still came at a cost. “We don’t do this leg often enough to really compare,” Erdle said. “Just generally, flying is not for the faint of heart or for those without deep pockets.” Others, however, haven’t noticed a huge jump in prices yet. Dan Sloan, flying to Calgary, notes he doesn’t fly very often and didn’t compare prices. “We didn’t really know what to expect, but it was fine, so we booked it.” Airlines are adjusting schedules in response to higher fuel costs. United Airlines recently announced it would cut five per cent of its flights through 2027, citing ongoing tensions in the Middle East as a factor in rising prices. Samer Salam, flying to Toronto, booked about two months in advance and says the timing of his trip could have made it more costly if he didn’t book when he did. “With the situation currently in the Middle East, it takes several iterations to finally decide on the timing.” For Erdle, these developments aren’t a major worry, at least not yet. “It doesn’t bother me all that much. I’ve got lots of flexibility,” he says. “The slashing of services, leg space and little fees here and there, that’s more of an annoyance to me.”
