While intense competition had blocked most major airlines from raising fares in the past, carriers have jacked up ticket prices 21 times since the beginning of 2005, according to a report by Jamie Baker, who follows the industry for the investment bank JPMorgan in Manhattan.

The uncertainty about insurance coverage comes as airlines are making a comeback. Even with fuel costs this summer 142 percent higher than in 2000, major carriers including Southwest Airlines and Continental Airlines saw profits double in the second quarter, while American Airlines reported a profit for the second time in the past 22 quarters.

But raising ticket prices is always a risk. "You could get to the point where customers say, I'm not going to fly. It's too costly. I'll drive or telecommute," said David Castelveter, a spokesman for the industry's major trade group, the Air Transport Association.

If they don't raise ticket prices, airlines could eliminate some routes, park some airplanes or try to trim salaries even further to cut costs, industry experts said.

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