Southwest Airlines raises some fares up to $20

Southwest Airlines has raised fares, with the cost of some its longest routes rising $20 per round trip.

Other major carriers, including Houston-based Continental Airlines, matched the increase put in place by low fare leader Southwest.

Southwest said it raised fares on some shorter round trips by $2, $6 and $10.

The Dallas-based carrier said it was imposing the $20 increase per round trip on routes with flights of 1,250 miles or more, because it was having to pay higher prices for jet fuel.

"It's still about fuel," said Paula Berg, a spokeswoman for Dallas-based Southwest. "A penny increase in jet fuel increases our annual operating costs by $15 million."

JP Morgan airline analyst Jamie Baker said in a report today that Southwest raised a majority of its fares. He said this marked Southwest's fourth "substantive" increase so far this year.

"When Southwest chooses to push fares higher, we do sit up and take notice and expect the market to do the same," Baker said.

Southwest raised fares six times in 2006, the analyst said.

source:chron.com