U.S. airlines have come under severe criticism for increasing prices out of Miami ahead of Hurricane Irma, ahead of the mandatory evacuation order which is coming into effect for the coastal areas of Miami-Dade county, The Wall Street Journal reports.
Flights out of Miami were particularly high for Friday, Sept. 8 with Delta Air Lines (NYSE: DAL) and American Airways (NASDAQ: AAL) offering flights that were almost twice as expensive as normal and that would take double the time.
American Airlines had the most expensive flight, coming in at $1,242.
The airlines were largely affected by the Hurricane Harvey and the threat of Irma approaching to Florida, as well as the price war weigh on earnings.
Delta lowered its projections for unit revenue—a key industry measure of how much airlines earn for every mile they fly a passenger—citing a slower recovery in domestic last-minute ticket prices and higher fuel costs.
United on Wednesday said it expects unit revenue to decline more than expected in the third quarter, as the impact of Hurricane Harvey and a price war weigh on earnings.
Shares of Delta Air Lines Inc., United Continental Holdings Inc. (NYSE: UAL), American Airlines Group Inc. and Southwest Airlines Co. (NYSE: LUV) are all down at least 15% from their highs this year.