BA accused over fuel surcharges
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Passenger watchdog, the Air Transport Users Council (AUC), has accused British Airways (BA) of using fuel surcharges to “trick passengers” on fares, The Times of London has reported. The finger was pointed at BA after it said would not be cutting fuel surcharges, despite oil prices having fallen significantly in recent weeks.
“BA is just pulling figures out of the hat and separating them from the main fare in order to trick passengers,” said AUC spokesperson, James Fremantle. “The airline blames it on third-party factors that are supposedly out of its control, but in reality it is just a fare increase.”
In 2006, BA’s then Commercial Director, Martin George, pledged to “reduce the surcharge should fuel prices fall”
Several other airlines, including Air France, Emirates and Singapore Airlines have already cut long-haul surcharges. BA’s long-haul levy, however, remains unchanged since it jumped from GBP102 (US$187) to GBP218 last May.
BA is arguing that the drop in oil prices bears no relation to the price it pays for fuel. “Our fuel costs are up from GBP2 billion last year to GBP3 billion this year,” a BA spokesperson said. “We need to raise that extra billion from somewhere and the fuel surcharge is just one of the ways we can do it.”
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