Jet Air Raises Fares as Mergers Ease India Price Wars (Update2)
Jet Airways (India) Ltd., forced to sell 60 percent of tickets at a discount last fiscal year, has raised fares after three airline tie-ups eased competition.

India's biggest domestic carrier has increased some fares by 200 rupees ($5) since last month and also cut the number of tickets it sells at a discount, Executive Director Saroj Datta said by phone yesterday. He declined to elaborate.

Jet's acquisition of Sahara Airlines Ltd. earlier this year and the merger of two state-owned carriers has curbed price wars that caused fares to plunge in a market set to become the world's fastest growing through the next two decades. More expensive tickets may help the airline industry return to profit in 2008 after expected losses of $500 million this year.