Airlines are capping ticket prices after furious customers took to Twitter to complain about skyrocketing costs
JetBlue
Fliers were charged up to $3,000 for domestic flights that typically cost just a fraction of that, the Miami Herald reported.
While airlines are not subject to Florida's price-gouging laws, many people saw the inflated prices as unethical and dangerous as people were trying to evacuate the area.
On Wednesday, many airlines began capping flight prices after the outrage went viral.
American Airlines told Yahoo Finance it planned to cap prices at $99 pre-tax on direct flights out of Florida. The cap applies to tickets sold from now until Sunday, September 10, for flights until Wednesday, September 13. The airline said on Twitter this afternoon that it was "not unusual to see higher prices for the last few seats on a flight," and that it is adding extra flights to the area.
Jet Blue has discounted the price of non-stop flights out of Florida to $99 including tax. Connecting flights out of Florida are priced at $159.
Delta also capped prices, albeit at a higher price, charging a maximum of $399 on flights out of Florida and the impacted islands, Yahoo Finance reported.
Escape #HurricaneIrma in style on Friday aboard @AmericanAir's flight from Miami to Newark, NJ (only one stop!) for just $1,747 round trip. pic.twitter.com/RROn61wXCw
- John Del Signore (@johndelsignore) September 6, 2017
When flight prices are inflated due to Hurricane Irma. This is the price for flights from Miami to San Diego. Was $435 last night! Agh pic.twitter.com/4mhR2mfBcD
- Lae Lae (@luv2run25) September 6, 2017
One way ticket:
Miami to Detroit.
This Friday, and next. #Irma pic.twitter.com/75XFasJT6B
- @Nightcam (@nightcam) September 6, 2017
Totally unacceptable, a $358 flight from Miami to NYC went up to $3578. Why should expect anything decent from these airlines??? F ing RATS! https://t.co/rjdH6J0yOL
- Joseph Pep Nodarse (@joerileyhudson) September 6, 2017
It's not unusual to see higher prices for the last few seats on a flight. We're adding extra flights to the area now.
- American Airlines (@AmericanAir) September 6, 2017
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