Fuel prices surge, Delta Air Lines increases checked baggage fees.

Delta Air Lines said on Tuesday that it will increase checked baggage fees for domestic flights and some short-haul international flights to offset the soaring aviation fuel costs due to the escalating tensions in the Middle East. This hike marks Delta's first increase in domestic baggage fees in two years, and competitors like United Airlines and JetBlue have also taken similar measures. Airlines worldwide are struggling to cope with the sharp rise in fuel prices, which have been pushed up by the turmoil in the Middle East disrupting key oil shipping routes through the Strait of Hormuz, squeezing profit margins. According to the International Air Transport Association, before the US strike on Iran in February, the average price of aviation fuel globally was around $85 to $90 per barrel, but it has now surged to around $209 per barrel. Delta Air Lines stated that fees for the first and second checked bags booked on or after Wednesday will each increase by $10, and the fee for the third checked bag will increase by $50.