More travelers are packing airplanes, but it's getting more expensive to fly them.
Jet-fuel prices have climbed 15 percent this year, and have surged around 60 percent over the past year, according to S&P Global Platts, presenting airlines with a growing fuel bill just before the summer travel rush, the busiest time of year.
Airlines have a few options to handle the spike in their biggest expense after labor: cut service or raise fares. That amounts to a game of chicken. Airlines don't want to risk losing customers to a competitor with better fares or a more robust schedule.