Passengers of Delta Air Lines, US Airways, Northwest and American Airlines will have to bear the heat of higher fares as these companies have added a new $10 fee on busy days.

According to Farecompare. com, Delta Air Lines, US Airways, Northwest and American Airlines declared the new charge for most flights planned for the Sunday after Thanksgiving and on January 2 and January 3.

Rick Seaney, chief executive of Farecompare. com, said, “This is just an easy way for them to add a small price without having to mess around a lot with their system.”

Dallas-based Farecompare. com has described the new fee as a way for struggling airlines to collect badly needed revenue.

It is worth mentioning here that almost all airlines have suffered a fall in passenger traffic since the beginning of the recent economic downturn.