United Rescinds Business-Fare Increase

CHICAGO_United Airlines has dropped the $50 one-way air fare increase it put into place for business travelers last week after other carriers decided not to match it, a spokeswoman said Monday.

The nation's No. 2 carrier, however, retained smaller increases for other ticket prices.

United, a unit of UAL Corp., last Thursday raised air fares across the board amid continuing higher-than-expected oil prices. It added $2 to $4 each way in markets served by discount-airline competitors, $5 each way for leisure fares in other markets and $50 each way for business fares - tickets that can be bought at the last minute.

United spokeswoman Robin Urbanski said the airline abandoned the business-fare increase due to the competitive response. "Some airlines matched and some did not," she said.

The other increases will remain because all airlines matched it, Urbanski said.