These days there are so many surcharges and fees on tickets, travelers can be forgiven for getting jaded about just one more, or an increase in any fee. But, from a travel agent and frequent traveler point of view, fuel charges might be the most irritating “added fee.”
Lufthansa just announced a fuel surcharge increase starting April 28th of €5 (US$6.60) each way on longhaul flights, which means now travelers between the U.S. and Europe will pay €87 (US$115) each way.
These charges started a few years ago when gas prices spiked suddenly. But as with many charges, they didn’t disappear when fuel prices stabilize. In recent experience, these surcharges almost never get reduced.
Admittedly, fuel is a huge part of airline costs. But the airlines don’t add a “labor surcharge” when contracts are renegotiated, or an “executive surcharge” when they pay out big bonuses. At least not yet.
If the extra charges are here to stay, then the reasonable thing to do would be to just fold them into the airfare.
Except that that would not benefit the airlines in two ways:
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One, if fares included fuel surcharges then fare displays would show higher prices.
Two, if the charges were included then they would also be subject to corporate discounts and agency commissions.
On the other hand, unlike baggage, seat assignments and food charges, these are not optional charges. All passengers must pay them. Adding in these kind of surcharges contribute to what often feels like a bait and switch atmosphere. Travelers see a great fare and then discover it is several hundred dollars higher.
If the airlines don’t want to remove fuel surcharges, here’s another idea. If they are not part of the airfare, then any time a passenger cancels a nonrefundable ticket, those fuel surcharges should be automatically refunded. The fuel was obviously not used, hence there is no basis for keeping the fuel surchage.
Should the airlines be allowed call it a surcharge for advertising purposes and then treat it as part of the airfare when it comes to refunds? What do you think?
Photo: FAA
Janice Hough is a California-based travel agent a travel blogger and a part-time comedy writer. A frequent flier herself, she’s been doing battle with airlines, hotels, and other travel companies for over three decades. Besides writing for Travelers United, Janice has a humor blog at Leftcoastsportsbabe.com (Warning, the political and sports humor therein does not represent the views of anyone but herself.)
