In a spot check of the lowest fares available to 10 US cities from Seattle yesterday, prices were up an average of 41 percent from a year ago.
That reflects a national trend as airlines increase fares, executives say, because of higher jet-fuel costs.
Travel agents, however, offer another explanation: Airlines have raised prices because they can.
"Prices are definitely up. Fuel is part of it, but I think it's mostly because demand is up."
http://www.seattlep-i.com/business/fare20.shtml