CLAYTON COUNTY, Ga. — Next time you fly out of Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, it might cost you more than normal.
Airfares are rising as oil prices soar because of the war with Iran, and different airlines are adapting in different ways.
Channel 2’s Lori Wilson learned what some airline leaders are doing to handle the changes.
Southwest Airlines CEO Bob Jordan sat down exclusively with ABC News to talk about ticket prices and the larger economy.
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“Well, airfares they are up, but they are still below the inflation rate that we’ve had since COVID,” Jordan told ABC News’ Rebecca Jarvis. “I’m very proud of the fact that Southwest has everyday low pricing. We use our aircraft more efficiently than anybody else and that’s a big key to being able to offer the low fares that we offer you every single day.”
Jarvis asked Jordan about how tickets could be affected if jet fuel costs keep going up, and he said the company focuses on what it can control, rather than what it can’t.
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“We don’t control the war, we don’t control fuel prices, but if input costs come up and they stay there. It’s like any other industry where supply chain costs rise,” Jordan said. “The fares will have to adapt and therefore, that’ll affect the consumer.”
Jordan also addressed the end of open seating on the airline.
“We knew that 80% of our customers wanted assigned seating, and 88% of customers that would not fly us wanted assigned sitting," Jordan told Jarvis. “And families, because we could not guarantee you in advance that you could sit together. So at the end of the day. you’ve gotta follow your customer. And this is all about that and we’re not gonna stop.”
Southwest is also starting to roll out red eye flights and premium seating options.
Jordan said as far as where the customers are, the company is seeing what they call resilience.
“It’s really interesting, because it’s very clear that consumers prioritize travel,” Jordan said. “They want to fly, they want travel, they want experiences. It’s also really clear that the consumer is incredibly resilient.”
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