Earlier this year, the price of jet fuel in the United States increased between 50% and 58%, going from $2.50 to $3.88 per gallon in March, the main cause being higher energy prices caused by the conflict in the Middle East.

Faced with high operating costs, airlines across the country began to increase their rates for flights and other services to compensate for spending, especially on fuel.

Among the airlines that announced changes to their rates is Delta Air Lines, and its CEO, Ed Bastian, recently reported that, even if oil and fuel prices still fall, the company will keep its costs and services high.

Bastian said in a statement that, before prices skyrocketed, most US airlines were already struggling to cover their cost of capital in a context in which industry airfares have significantly lagged inflation, costs have increased and consumer preferences have evolved.

During his quarterly earnings presentation, Delta's CEO added that even after recent fare increases, "flight prices remain 10 to 15 points below overall inflation since Covid-19. We believe the current pace of revenue should be maintained even if fuel prices moderate," Bastian said.

And the industry is not only currently facing higher fuel costs, but also an increase in investment in technology, airport infrastructure and labor.

Therefore, Bastian considers that this requires devising a change in the business model that allows generating resilience in prices and durability: "There is nothing to be gained by trying to grow in that environment. The opportunity lies in finding ways to achieve greater income, not a greater market share," he stated.