LOW FUEL COSTS
Jet-fuel prices have fallen nearly 50% over the past year as oil prices have declined, significantly lowering costs for airlines and boosting their profits to record highs. A portion of those savings gets passed on to consumers.
LEGAL TROUBLES
The Justice Department is investigating anticompetitive practices among the major U.S. airlines, which have consolidated their power through a series of mergers over the past decade. Keeping prices low may help them avoid signs of collusion.
LOWER DEMAND
Following summer vacations, families tend to get busy with back-to-school activities, a period travel experts refer to as a dead zone for bookings. That means prices are likely to dip further in August and September.
–Victor Luckerson
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