United raises fares for second straight week; others may follow

United Airlines said Tuesday that it's adding $10 to $20 to the price of a round-trip plane ticket in an effort to off-set rising fuel costs.

The move by United (Nasdaq: UAUA) came as oil prices surged to new records. The price of a barrel of light, sweet crude topped $114 in trading Tuesday on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

Rising oil costs have hit airlines hard, seeking them to look for new ways to pass on the expenses to consumers. Airlines have attempted 12 fare increases this year, according to airline Web siteFareCompare.com, with eight of them "sticking," as other carriers matched the hikes.

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In an e-mail about the United surcharge increase, FareCompare.com CEO Rick Seaney wrote that "my gut tells me this attempt may not make it ... but I cannot rule out the possibility of major matching in the next five days."

It's the second fare hike by United in two weeks. On April 9, the airline increased fares by $4 to $30 roundtrip on its flights - a hike that proved successful, as other carriers followed suit.