Flower Duet / BA

BA passengers face higher fuel surcharges

British Airways is to increase its fuel surcharge on all tickets from next week.

The airline said that from Tuesday June 3 the surcharge for short-haul flights will increase by £3 per flight to £16 per flight.

The surcharge for long-haul flights of less than nine hours will increase by £15 per flight to £78 per flight.

The surcharge for long-haul flights of more than nine hours will increase by £30 per flight from to £109 per flight.

BA said it would also increase its fuel surcharges by similar levels in markets outside the UK.

On Wednesday, Sir Richard Branson's airline Virgin Atlantic announced fuel surcharge rises, although the carrier said that those sitting at the front of the aircraft would face higher charges than those in economy-class seats at the back.

In recent weeks airlines have announced cutbacks in services because of the sky-high oil prices while some carriers, including some operating between the UK and the US, have gone out of business.

BA's latest fuel levy hike comes just a month after the carrier last raised its surcharge.

The airline added on £3 to each short haul flight, £10 to a long haul flight of less than nine hours and £15 for a flight longer than nine hours from May 2.

Earlier this month BA warned it would have to spend an extra £1 billion on fuel this year if prices remained at the US$120 a barrel mark.

Full year fuel and oil costs - which comprise about a quarter of the airline's expenses - topped £2 billion during the past financial year to March 31.

Oil prices are still hovering around the $130 and showing no sign of settling back.

Source: MSN Biz News UK