Summer flights more costly, crowded

Air travelers be warned: Flights this summer could be both more expensive and more crowded than usual, industry forecasters say.

Average domestic air fares from Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport for the summer are up 20 percent on average, according to Bing Travel. The average round-trip fare is $307, up from $256 last year.

Fares are increasing as travel increases slightly amid a gradual economic recovery and many airlines hold down the supply of seats.

Airlines cut capacity to adjust to the weak economy, but passenger counts on U.S. airlines are expected to increase about 1 percent this summer compared with last summer, according to the Air Transport Association. Last summer, traffic fell roughly 6 percent.

The uptick “is a positive sign for an economy and an industry in recovery,” according to the ATA, an industry group for U.S. carriers. The International Air Transport Association, which also represents overseas airlines, reported Monday that travel in economy as well as first- and business-class on international markets are up, driven by increased business travel.

The trends have already shown up in airline reports. Atlanta-based Delta Air Lines, for example, reported that its planes averaged 80.4 percent full for the year through April, up from 78.2 percent full in the same period last year. Many flights on popular routes at peak travel times end up fully booked.

Meanwhile, forecasts are for jet fuel prices to be about 20 percent higher this summer compared with last summer.