STEVE INSKEEP, host: NPR's business news starts with the cost of traveling, like everything else going up.</s>STEVE INSKEEP, host: If you're going online looking for flights for this summer, you might be in for a surprise, because the average cost of airline tickets was up more than 10 percent in March compared to the same month one year ago. Usually the airlines have a lot of trouble making fare increases stick, but maybe not this time. Last week, United introduced a fuel surcharge of 5 percent on all domestic flights. And several other airlines moved to match that. Maybe it's time to pack up the SUV and drive, since airlines say they have not choice but to raise prices and other fees.
The average cost of airline tickets was up more than 10 percent in March, compared with the same month a year ago. Airlines usually have a lot of trouble making fare increases stick — but not this time. Airlines say they have no choice but to raise prices and other fees.