Delta adds more holiday surcharges

By Kelly Yamanouchi

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Atlanta fliers booking flights for peak periods through next spring could get an unwelcome holiday gift in their fare -- a $10 surcharge.

Atlanta-based Delta Air Lines, matching moves by other carriers, has added surcharges to fares on certain peak holiday travel days stretching through next May.

AirTran Airways, the second-largest carrier at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, said it will match the surcharge.

Delta first added the $10 surcharge in September on domestic flights Nov. 29, Jan. 2 and Jan. 3, matching a move by American Airlines.

Now, Delta has added the $10 surcharge to flights Nov. 30, Dec. 19, Dec. 26, Dec. 27, March 14, 20, 21, 28, April 11 and May 28. Those cover peak travel days around Thanksgiving, Christmas, spring break and Memorial Day.

American initially filed its holiday surcharge last month, with US Airways adding more dates, followed by American adding still more dates and Delta matching the moves, according to FareCompare.com. FareCompare CEO Rick Seaney also noted in a message that flying on peak travel dates around the holidays has been historically pricey. But fare surcharges are typically imposed to offset fuel price spikes or other events, not to boost peak pricing.

Surcharges must be included in base prices listed in advertisements and on Web sites, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation.