Jet Fuel Fury: Airlines Slash Routes as Costs Ignite Shakeout

Soaring Costs, Shaky Futures

Imagine boarding a flight only to find half the routes vanished, your burger patty mysteriously upgraded, and metal prices swinging like a pendulum. That's the reality hitting airlines, fast food chains, and metals markets right now. Jet fuel has rocketed from $85-$90 a barrel to $150-$200 amid Middle East tensions, beef costs are at near-records with U.S. cattle herds at a 75-year low, and analysts see aluminum and copper climbing on supply snarls. Businesses...