Travel briefs: From high-flying summer fares to Amtrak Cascades free trips

High-flying fuel costs

To fly someone from New York to Los Angeles and back, airlines spend close to $330 these days — just on fuel. That's a 48 percent increase from last year and the main reason vacationers face record costs to fly this summer.

To offset fuel costs (and make profits), airlines have hiked fares seven times this year and raised fees for checking bags and other services.

This has only added to the frustration of most casual fliers who see $59 fares advertised but are quoted prices well above $300 when they actually try to book. Americans' expectations of a cheap vacation are being destroyed by the reality of $100-a-barrel oil.

"The passenger has to understand that the airline industry in the United States is not meant to be a low-cost mass transit system. The airlines are in business to be profitable," says airline analyst Robert Herbst.

A decade ago, fuel accounted for about 15 percent of airline operating expenses. Five years ago, it was 29 percent. Today, it's 35 percent.

Free trips for Amtrak Cascades fans

Amtrak Cascades, which offers passenger rail service in the Pacific Northwest, is running a contest for a free trip for two for its Facebook fans (www.facebook.com/AmtrakCascades).

On each Friday from June 3 through July 1, a Facebook user who "likes" Amtrak Cascades will be randomly picked as the "Fan of the Week" and win a voucher for a free trip for two people wherever Amtrak Cascades goes (including Vancouver, B.C., and Portland).

Flying first class? Pay more than $17,000

United Airlines will keep three-class cabins on some wide-body jets, separating itself from other airlines that have switched to two tiers of service, as its meshes fleets with Continental Airlines after their merger.

Retaining first-class seats on current United planes is best for the international routes where passengers are willing to pay top prices, said Chief Executive Officer Jeff Smisek. While Continental's jets have only business and coach seats, 57 United aircraft have first-class cabins as well.

First-class tickets can be hugely expensive: United is charging $17,471 for a walk-up, first-class ticket between San Francisco and Beijing, and $1,993 for a coach seat, according to the carrier's website. A business-class fare, with more amenities than an economy ticket, is $7,076.

Choosing cabin layouts is a pivotal step as the carriers blend operations into the world's largest airline. Some other airlines, including Delta Air Lines, have dropped first class.

American stops gate-checking

some big strollers

American Airlines is requiring passengers to check large strollers at the ticket counter instead of waiting until they get to the departure gate.

That means parents won't be able to push their children from the counter to the gate in strollers that weigh more than 20 pounds or don't fold up. Parents still will be allowed to check smaller, umbrella-type strollers at the gate. There's no baggage fee for strollers, no matter what size, the airline said.

However, some of the new, large strollers were difficult for gate agents to handle at the last minute during boarding, said American Airlines spokesman Tim Smith.

United has a similar ban on gate-checking large strollers, according to a spokesman. Continental, Delta and JetBlue allow strollers of all sizes to be checked at the gate.

Seattle Times staff and news services