Criminal Sentence 23: Crazy Comparison

From an article lamenting how American Airlines is charging for checked bags:

"Like its competitors, skyrocketing fuel costs have put the carrier's balance sheet in a vise."

This sentence compares "competitors" to "fuel costs," not what the writer intended. When you start a sentence with "Like," be sure that what follows the comma is what you're comparing. Here are a couple ways to rewrite this sentence:

Like its competitors, the carrier is facing financial difficulties due to skyrocketing fuel costs.

or

Skyrocketing fuel costs have put the carrier's balance sheet--as well as those of its competitors--in a vise.