LEISURE airlines and UK long-haul carriers have defended their failure to cut the fuel supplements they add to fares despite a near 20% fall in the oil price in recent weeks.
Tour operators continue to add £25-£30 to short-haul holiday prices, £40-£45 to medium-haul and £60-£65 to long-haul, while British Airways and Virgin Atlantic retain a £35-per-sector charge for long-haul flights.
All say the charges are under review and deny concern among customers. A First Choice spokeswoman said: “Customers understand what the supplement is, having seen prices rise at the fuel pumps.
“People would pay a higher price [without charges] because we would have to anticipate the oil market.”
A Thomson spokeswoman said: “The price of fuel was continuing to rise when we last increased the supplements in April.”
However, Sunvil Holidays managing director and ABTA board member Noel Josephides said: “The fuel surcharges cannot be justified. It’s not the way a mature industry should behave.”
For legal reasons, tour operators add supplements to fares, while airlines add surcharges.