Air Travel Costs Soar this Summer
The cost of air travel is set to soar this summer according to travel and aviation experts as airlines pass on the cost of fuel prices via increased fuel surcharges.
The cost of air travel is expected to cost travellers as much as 20% more than it did last summer.
The unrest in the Middle East, the civil crisis in Libya and the rising cost of crude oil reaching a two and a half year high of $122 a barrel is pushing aircraft fuel up by over 30% across the globe, effecting travellers worldwide.
Whilst many of the summer flights have been sold, those remaining are likely to increase between 15% and 20% industry experts predict.
Costs have seen a number of airlines increase their charges, either directly or indirectly, as fuel takes up around a third of the cost of each ticket.
BA for example has passed on fuel costs for the third time since December. The airline's long haul passengers will incur extra costs - economy passengers paying an additional £10 per flight fuel surcharge and premium passengers by £20 per flight. Whilst tour operator Thomas Cook have introduced an extra levy for passengers of £15 for short haul passengers and £40 for those on long haul flights.
The rises come as the industry is only just beginning to bounce back after a dip in travel. As the global economy begins to recover so too is the demand for both business and pleasure travel. So far this year the UK travel market has seen a healthy increase in flights, with many major and provincial airports reporting big increases in passenger numbers.
So the question now is whether the fuel prices will discourage passengers from travelling as prices increase. The industry is hoping that air travel is considered essential by business to continue the growth experienced in the last 6 months, and that consumers are not prepared to forgo a holiday this year.
The unrest in the Middle East, the civil crisis in Libya and the rising cost of crude oil reaching a two and a half year high of $122 a barrel is pushing aircraft fuel up by over 30% across the globe, effecting travellers worldwide.
Whilst many of the summer flights have been sold, those remaining are likely to increase between 15% and 20% industry experts predict.
Costs have seen a number of airlines increase their charges, either directly or indirectly, as fuel takes up around a third of the cost of each ticket.
BA for example has passed on fuel costs for the third time since December. The airline's long haul passengers will incur extra costs - economy passengers paying an additional £10 per flight fuel surcharge and premium passengers by £20 per flight. Whilst tour operator Thomas Cook have introduced an extra levy for passengers of £15 for short haul passengers and £40 for those on long haul flights.
The cost of air travel is expected to cost travellers as much as 20% more than it did last summer.
The unrest in the Middle East, the civil crisis in Libya and the rising cost of crude oil reaching a two and a half year high of $122 a barrel is pushing aircraft fuel up by over 30% across the globe, effecting travellers worldwide.
Whilst many of the summer flights have been sold, those remaining are likely to increase between 15% and 20% industry experts predict.
Costs have seen a number of airlines increase their charges, either directly or indirectly, as fuel takes up around a third of the cost of each ticket.
BA for example has passed on fuel costs for the third time since December. The airline's long haul passengers will incur extra costs - economy passengers paying an additional £10 per flight fuel surcharge and premium passengers by £20 per flight. Whilst tour operator Thomas Cook have introduced an extra levy for passengers of £15 for short haul passengers and £40 for those on long haul flights.
The rises come as the industry is only just beginning to bounce back after a dip in travel. As the global economy begins to recover so too is the demand for both business and pleasure travel. So far this year the UK travel market has seen a healthy increase in flights, with many major and provincial airports reporting big increases in passenger numbers.
So the question now is whether the fuel prices will discourage passengers from travelling as prices increase. The industry is hoping that air travel is considered essential by business to continue the growth experienced in the last 6 months, and that consumers are not prepared to forgo a holiday this year.
The unrest in the Middle East, the civil crisis in Libya and the rising cost of crude oil reaching a two and a half year high of $122 a barrel is pushing aircraft fuel up by over 30% across the globe, effecting travellers worldwide.
Whilst many of the summer flights have been sold, those remaining are likely to increase between 15% and 20% industry experts predict.
Costs have seen a number of airlines increase their charges, either directly or indirectly, as fuel takes up around a third of the cost of each ticket.
BA for example has passed on fuel costs for the third time since December. The airline's long haul passengers will incur extra costs - economy passengers paying an additional £10 per flight fuel surcharge and premium passengers by £20 per flight. Whilst tour operator Thomas Cook have introduced an extra levy for passengers of £15 for short haul passengers and £40 for those on long haul flights.