Michael Boyd

When jet fuel prices shot up this spring, airlines responded by raising ticket prices and fees.

Now, fuel costs are coming back to earth.

The average price for a gallon of jet fuel in the U.S.

dropped this week to less than $3, according to the tracking firm Argus.

That's down more than $2 per gallon from the peak in April.

But aviation consultant Michael Boyd says don't expect the airlines to give those price hikes back right away.

Boyd says travelers have shown they're willing to pay higher airfares, at least so far, and airlines face rising costs across the board, including labor.

Joel Rose, NPR News, Washington.