News: British Airways criticised over latest surcharges
Flights > News > # 285 (28/03/2005)
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British Airways is to increase its fuel surcharge on all flights from Monday, March 28 as a result of continuing record oil prices.
The longhaul fuel surcharge will increase from £10 per sector to £16 per sector (£32 return trip). The shorthaul fuel surcharge will increase from £4 per sector to £6 (£12 per return trip). Martin George, British Airways’ commercial director, said: “Our fuel bill next year is expected to be an extra £300 million.
With prices continuing to rise, a surcharge increase is regrettably unavoidable.” The additional fuel surcharge only applies to tickets issued from March 28,2005.
Both Easyjet and Ryanair have responded with condemnation for their rival's latest additional charges. Commenting additionally on the latest Air User's Council (AUC) report, which criticised Ryanair for adding extra charges during the booking process, Ryanair's Deputy Chief Executive and Chief Operating Officer Michael Cawley said:
"The AUC as usual is silent on the fourth round of price gouging fuel surcharges being imposed by British Airways and other airlines, when only Ryanair guarantees there will be no fuel surcharges now or ever."
Meanwhile, a spokesperson for easyJet said:
"easyJet does not believe fuel surcharges work - putting fares up simply reduces demand. BA announced its first charge in May and then in August decided to discriminate against its long haul passengers as it raised fuel surcharges further. With an additional increase in October, this is the forth time BA have hiked their charges in the last 10 months. easyJet pledges yet again that it will not impose a fuel surcharge on tickets. Fares will stay permanently low."
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Fuel surcharges would be more understandable if they were reduced as soon as the price of oil dropped. This was clearly not the case when the price dipped down later last year, so if the price does drop again, what are the chances that BA will give any of
