Airlines gain from lower fuel, but not so much for consumers

Dallas

ROB BRITTON, who spent two decades with American Airlines Group, is unapologetic in defending the profits his former employer and other US carriers are making. Sure, fuel's cheap, but what company cuts prices as soon as its costs shrink?

"Amtrak doesn't lower its prices because diesel is cheaper, and New York taxi cabs don't lower their prices because a tank of gas is cheaper," said Mr Britton, now an aviation consultant in Washington.

Consumers have benefited somewhat from the lowest jet-fuel costs in more than 12 years, but not nearly as much as the companies. While travellers are paying less on average for trips, base fares - the prices assigned to each seat - have remained essentially unchanged since 2014, according to Rick…