CARRIERS HIKE PRICES ON DOMESTIC FLIGHTS

NEW YORK — US airlines that once tried to impose broad-based fare increases are now shifting to smaller, more focused efforts to extract higher prices on domestic flights, according to travel website FareCompare.com.

“Airlines have about reached the maximum levels that they can charge,” FareCompare CEO Richard Seaney said. “Now, they have to target customers more specifically in order to get people to buy.”

Passenger revenue for each seat flown a mile has been falling this year at the biggest US airlines.

“Rare 2015 domestic airfare hike activity” began when JetBlue Airways started raising prices, according to FareCompare. Last week, Southwest showed “significant” fare increases, and was joined by other airlines.

In the past, an increase would have succeeded if other airlines piled in within about 24 hours. Otherwise, the effort would have fallen apart as some airlines held out. Until this year, broad efforts to raise fares “often occurred every couple weeks or so,” according to FareCompare.

“With sloppy industry pricing a current theme, we remain encouraged to see multiple airline efforts to shore up revenue,” Jamie Baker, a JPMorgan Chase & Co. analyst, said.