EAGAN, Minn. (AP) — Northwest Airlines will match the fare increases put in place by other major carriers this week.

Northwest said Friday night it will match the approximately 3 percent to 5 percent increases first implemented Thursday by United Airlines and matched by Delta Air Lines, American Airlines and Continental Airlines.

Jim Cron, senior vice president of revenue management, said Northwest made the move “to offset the extraordinarily high cost of fuel.”

The fare increase comes on the heels of Northwest’s earnings report this week, which showed a $4.1 billion loss in the first quarter, almost all of it from a massive accounting charge.