United warns of $6 billion in extra fuel costs

The Iran war is now redrawing airline financials. United Airlines said Wednesday it expects to spend an additional $6 billion on jet fuel this year, based on Tuesday's crude oil prices, CBS News reported. Jet fuel is the second-highest cost for airlines after labor. United said in its second-quarter earnings release that it had already spent an extra $2.3 billion on fuel in the quarter — 84 percent more than the same period a year earlier.

The knock-on effects for travelers are showing up in ticket prices and cabin economics. Delta has said it will not cut fares anytime soon, and United is now testing whether passengers will pay a premium simply to keep the middle seat next to them empty.

The Associated Press said United will begin auctioning empty adjacent seats on selected routes this fall — the latest step in an industrywide effort to segment cabins so that budget travelers pay less for less while price-insensitive travelers subsidize the operation.

Airports adrift

Newark Liberty International Airport is again a summer chokepoint, The Wall Street Journal reported, with air-traffic control staffing shortages and equipment issues threatening peak-season travel.

The aviation industry Tuesday urged Congress to provide $20 billion for air-traffic-control modernization, per Reuters. Consumers already contending with Spirit Airlines' bankruptcy exit are looking at fewer route options, tighter capacity and premium-cabin economics extending into the coach cabin — with fares likely to stay elevated into the fall.

Going paperless

Along with higher fares and an astounding array of new junk fees, many airlines are scrapping paper boarding passes, deeming them a relic of an earlier time.

Last spring, American Airlines reprogrammed kiosks so boarding passes aren't printed automatically. Now, paper versions must be specifically requested at check-in. Emirates made a similar change in 2023, requiring most passengers departing from Dubai to use mobile boarding passes.

Airlines scrapping paper passes say the decision was driven by efficiency and sustainability goals, and they still allow paper backups for travelers who cannot access a mobile version.

But for many passengers, the change is disturbing. Believe it or not, there are passengers who don't own a smartphone and many seniors find airline apps confusing and offputting. Low-income passengers are more likely to have older phones or limited data plans, making digital boarding passes cost-prohibitive.

Disabled travelers with visual impairments or mobility challenges often find it easier to hand over a printed pass instead of juggling multiple screens. And sometimes, things just happen – phones get lost or stolen mid-trip or your battery dies at the worst possible time.

Critics say the move is petty and unnecessary. They asked whether a single piece of paper – one that passengers usually have to print on their own printer using their paper and ink – can really be so cost-prohibitive.