Fuel prices soar, Delta Air Lines raises checked baggage fees

格隆汇 April 7｜Delta Air Lines announced on Tuesday that it will raise checked baggage fees for domestic routes and some short-haul international routes to offset the soaring airline fuel costs caused by escalating tensions in the Middle East. This marks Delta Air Lines' first increase in domestic baggage fees in two years, while competitors such as United Airlines and JetBlue Airways have taken similar measures. Airlines worldwide are struggling to cope with the sharp rise in fuel prices, as tensions in the Middle East disrupt the critical oil shipping route of the Strait of Hormuz, increasing operating costs and squeezing profit margins. According to the International Air Transport Association, before the US-Israeli strikes against Iran in February this year, the average global jet fuel price was about $85 to $90 per barrel; now it has surged to around $209 per barrel. Delta Air Lines stated that the fees for the first and second checked baggage booked on Wednesday or later will each increase by $10, while the third checked baggage fee will rise by $50.