UPDATED: Fuel costs push down 3Q airline earnings

As airlines have reported their quarterly financials over the last week or so, one theme keeps cropping up: Fuel was more expensive this summer. Both US Airways and United Continental Holdings get the same headline in separate stories that report their lower third-quarter earnings. According to the articles, both carriers' profits were "dented" in the quarter by higher fuel costs. Read about US Airways here, and about United Continental in this story. 

UPDATE: And here is Friday's Inquirer roundup of the two airlines' earnings reports.