Some major US airlines may 'not survive' unless oil prices come down soon, experts warn
Source: The Independent
Saturday 28 March 2026 18:17 EDT
Some airlines could suffer major losses amid rising oil prices, according to industry leaders and experts.
The ongoing war with Iran has driven up oil prices worldwide, which means airlines are paying more than expected for fuel. As prices continue to rise, United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby warned some airlines might “not survive,” according to The Los Angeles Times.
“If these other guys make the same mistakes they made six years ago (during the Covid-19 pandemic), and if the forecast about $175 per barrel is right, you’ll see airlines not survive,” he reportedly said. This comes after Kirby warned that jet fuel prices “have more than doubled in the last three weeks.”
“If prices stayed at this level, it would mean an extra $11B in annual expense just for jet fuel. For perspective, in United’s best year ever, we made less than $5B,” he wrote in a memo to United Airlines employees last week.
Read more: https://www.the-independent.com/us/travel/us-airlines-fuel-prices-iran-b2947727.html
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who I am scheduled to fly in June for my annual visit to see my late husband's family. Besides that they're my favorite domestic carrier in general, they're also the only airline left that has direct service from Burbank to New York (and even that route only just returned after being suspended for a while). I LOATHE LAX and BUR is 20 minutes from my home. 
back in the day... 
We field peons had to use Amtrak (pre-Acela era) and then hop on the Metro (with suitcases).
we took Amtrak to New Carrollton, MD, them hopped the Orange Line from there to Metro Center, then switched to the Red Line to go where we needed to go close to our hotel - all to avoid Union Station! 
