The Justice Department is looking into whether airlines have secretly colluded in increasing fares, according to a story on MSNBC. It seems that most fares went up $10 in anticipation of a four-month suspension of security fees, a move designed to give a break to an industry on the verge of collapse. A 1993 law prevents airlines from giving out information about “planned or contemplated fares or changes to fares,” so it seems that officials are bewildered how it is that airlines all increased fares over the course of 3 days, beginning last Thursday. The absurd scene is a good reminder how many forms price control can take.
