“[R]ising jet fuel costs put significant cost pressure on the airline industry,” Steve Lott, vice present of communications for Airlines for America told CBSDC. “Regarding fuel, it was the airline industry’s largest expense in 2011, representing 35 percent of total costs. In 2011, the price of jet fuel reached a record high of $3.00 per gallon for the year. …
“As with any business, if [an airline] pays more for fuel and operational costs, they need to pass that cost on to the consumer,” she told CBSDC. “There have been [similar] effects in the past.”
via CBS DC.
The article cites way that airlines try to reduce the impact of rising fuel prices, include “single engine taxi” which is just as it sounds. One issue with this practice is that jet engines are really designed to run “at operating temperature” and not take to the air immediately upon start-up. Naturally the airlines’ practices are pretty safe, but I would suggest this particular solution is less than ideal.