Finance counsels

Now that US Airways Group Inc. has put a price on everything from sodas to snacks, the airline is giving passengers a new way to pay.

Starting early next year, flight attendants for the Tempe, Ariz.-based carrier will be outfitted with hand-held, remote control-size credit-card machines. US Airways last week began charging $1 for coffee and hot tea, and $2 for soft drinks and water.

It is the company’s latest move to boost revenue as it struggles to make money with high fuel prices and softening demand. The airline in the second quarter posted a $567 million loss, which brought its first-half loss beyond $800 million.

US Airways (NYSE: LCC) also charges for checked luggage, curbside-checked luggage and call-center reservations. The a la carte pricing is expected to bring in up to $500 million annually.

The airline said it has been testing hand-held credit-card devices for several months bad credit payday loans. US Airways declined to disclose the investment, but it expects to sign a contract with a vendor soon.

Several other airlines already use the machines, includingDelta Air Lines Inc. (NYSE: DAL) and American Airlines, both of which operate out of Birmingham International Airport.