United raises base fares by $10 on many U.S. flights

DALLAS – For the second time in less than two weeks, major U.S. airlines are raising fares.

United Airlines confirmed Thursday that it increased prices on many U.S. flights by $10 per round trip.

J.P. Morgan airline analyst Jamie Baker says, however, that he’ll be surprised if Southwest follows suit, coming only two weeks after airlines raised base fares by $4 to $10 per round-trip ticket.

If discount airlines such as Southwest refuse to go along, United could be forced to retreat.

Also, airlines often undercut price increases by running fare sales. For example, Delta boasted about weekly specials in an email to customers on Tuesday.

Chick-fil-A reports sales record for ‘appreciation day’

Chick-fil-A appears to have set a company record in sales on Wednesday, a day on which Americans were encouraged to show their support for the fast-food restaurant whose leadership has drawn both criticism and praise in recent weeks for its opposition to same-sex marriage.

The privately held company, based in Atlanta declined to give specific sales figures but released a statement to the Los Angeles Times confirming that frenzied sales of chicken sandwiches and cross-cut waffle fries had made for a record-setting day.

“We are very grateful and humbled by the incredible turnout of loyal Chick-fil-A customers on August 1 at Chick-fil-A restaurants around the country,” said Steve Robinson, executive vice president of marketing, in the statement.

“While we don’t release exact sales numbers, we can confirm reports that it was a record-setting day.”

The company, which started in 1946 and now has more than 1,615 locations nationwide, recorded annual sales of more than $4.1 billion last year.

Customers often waited in long lines, many weathering the blistering summer sun, just to get in the front door.

The company, which proudly abides by Bible-based principles and closes its doors to sales on Sundays, stressed in its statement that Chick-fil-A did not promote Wednesday’s turnout.

Clearance sales, heat spurred consumer spending in July

NEW YORK – American shoppers proved resilient in July, driving a key sales figure up at retailers across the country, despite persistent worry about jobs and the global economy.

Results came in better than expected for many retailers, helped by hot weather and summer clearance sales, an encouraging sign as the back-to-school season, the second-biggest shopping season behind the holidays, kicks off.

A preliminary tally by the International Council of Shopping Centers of 20 retailers found revenue in stores open at least a year rose 4.6 percent in July, higher than the 3 percent to 3.5 percent the ICSC expected.

Summer clothing purchases drove the increase.

The sales figure rose 9.2 percent for clothing, the largest monthly increase since April 2011, according to the ICSC.

“Hot weather and summer clearance, coupled with some newness in stores in the back half of the month, is leading to a nice upside heading into back-to-school,” said Ken Perkins, president of Retail Metrics, a research firm. He said colored denim is a key fashion trend that is new in stores and attracting customers. “Retailers were pretty aggressive with promotions, trying to clear out merchandise.”