Fuel surcharges forever! Here are two examples of outrageous airline fees
The price of oil is falling. But not airline fees and fuel surcharges.
Although some air carriers have suggested they’ll reduce or eliminate fuel charges in particular, it’s not trickling down to tickets. At least most tickets.
Here are my nominations for the worst tax/fee to price ratios this week:
An Alitalia ticket from Naples via Rome to Catania - returning from Palermo to Rome, April 28 to May 11. The base price EUR 108 - or $138. Total with taxes and fees: $400.
A British Airways ticket from San Francisco to Newcastle - December 15 to 30.
The base price - $292 roundtrip. Total with taxes and fuel: $920.
I’m soliciting other candidates for the worst of the month. Comments are encouraged.
Alas, no prizes are available, just the fun of “misery loves company” and perhaps the dubious satisfaction of a story you can use to one-up friends and family over the Thanksgiving holidays.
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5 Responses to “Fuel surcharges forever! Here are two examples of outrageous airline fees”
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The problem for the airlines is that they buy fuel in advance. They lock in fuel prices for a year or so, in hope for stability and safety. It’s a bet. Now that fuel prices came down again, airlines are still paying the same higher amount. Only after they lock in oil again will we see the associated savings.
Southwest is the king of hedging fuel and they have only hedged about 25% of their needs for the next several years. Most of the domestic US carriers don’t have sufficient capital to hedge very much. So they really haven’t locked in their fuel prices.
The reality is that the airlines are trying to make some money to offset the horrendous losses that they’ve suffered over the last few years. Sure, some of it was their own doing but much of it was the fault of the weak US dollar which meant that the price of oil went through the roof. They are in a catch up mode and will be for a while.
How long will this fiction be permitted? The “fuel surcharge’ is simply a bait and switch. They advertise one price, but then you can’t buy it, but have to pay a lot extra because the price they quoted was a phantom. Aren’t there laws against this? Why hasn’t it been taken to court?
There are laws against this - in the EU. Not in the US. It’s about time for US laws to equal their counterparts in the EU, with regards to airfares, taxes, and fees.
Good idea Joe. I really do understand the airlines’ desperate need to make money,. but as both a travel agent and regular flier (and yes, we pay for our tickets too) this bait and switch game is incredibly annoying, And completely time-wasting as many people decide not to fly when they hear the REAL price.