United removes snacks from short-haul flights

United Airlines, recently awarded the right to fly direct to China, has stopped offering snacks on flights of less than two hours in duration.

The change affects just less than a third of the carrier's network and is expected to save the airline in the region of $650,000 each year.

In 2005, American Airlines adopted a similar tactic when it removed snacks from Coach Class on flights shorter than 90 minutes.

Domestic journeys have also been affected by recent fare hikes by several carriers, despite a fall in the price of oil.

United has increased one-way ticket prices in all markets by $5, except those where it competes with low-cost carrier Southwest.

American has increased fares by between $3 and $5 in each direction, depending on the length of the route. The Dallas-based carrier has only hiked prices on flights that do not compete with discount airlines, The Chicago Tribune reports.

At the end of last week, Delta Air Lines and Northwest Airlines also increased fares.

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